Papa Don't Preach
by ReefChic7
Summary: 17 year old Sookie Stackhouse has been dating Alicide Herveaux for six months. She finds out very quickly he is not the boyfriend she thought he was and has a big decision to make. Thankfully she is not alone, because she is about to find out how far her best friend Eric Northman will go for her. AH. T to start, M for later chapter. Updates on my blog today!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey! Remember me? I haven't updated in ages and am glad to be back with a new short series for you. At least I plan for it to be short. ;o) All updates to this story as well as new story will be posted on my blog, which also has the cute banner for this story writer jennifer dot wordpress dot c0m .Thank you so much to my lovely betas Jaxgny and Ali989969. This starts out S/A, but that will end by the close of this chapter. Don't worry, ladies, it is always all about the Viking Swede.

Papa Don't Preach

Seventeen-year-old Sookie Stackhouse looked in horror at the pregnancy test she held in her hand. She set it on the counter with the other four she had taken. At this point she figured five positives only meant one thing. She was pregnant. Tears rolled down her face as she sank to the edge of the bathtub. She buried her face into her hands and sobbed silently.

A knock on the bathroom door startled her and she jumped up. "Sunshine, dinner's ready. We're waiting for you."

She swallowed and steadied her voice. "I'm comin', Daddy! Be right down." She quickly gathered the tests and stuffed them under her shirt and waited until she heard his footsteps go down the stairs. Rushing into her bedroom she stuffed them into her backpack, straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath and washed up for dinner.

Her Mama was serving the salad when she took her seat across from her brother Jason. He gave her the side-eye wondering why she would be holding up the 3rd most important meal of the day for him. "Why are ya such a slow poke today, Sook?" He grumbled.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting," She forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Corbett, her Daddy, took her hand and said, "Let's say grace." Hands were clasped around the table and while her Daddy thanked the Lord for the food that her Mama Michelle prepared, she prayed with all of her might that maybe, just maybe she wasn't pregnant.

"How was your day, Sunshine?" Corbett asked before he dug into his pork chops.

"It was just fine, Daddy, thank you. How was yours?" She adored her Daddy. She was his little girl and she could do no wrong in his eyes. The idea of telling him her secret made her sick. She knew he would never look at her the same way again.

"It was good. Hot out there today, wasn't it?" He nodded and took a sip of his sweet tea. "Jason how was practice?"

"Great, Dad!" Jason replied with a huge grin. "I really think we stand a chance at the championship against Shreveport. Y'all are going to be at the game, right?"

Michelle patted Jason on the arm and smiled proudly. "Of course we will, Jase. We wouldn't miss it for the world."

Dinner finished in peaceful silence and Sookie was relieved no one noticed her quiet mood. She helped clear the table and wash the dishes. They lived in an old farmhouse that was in the family for generations and the kitchen did not have a dishwasher.

"What time is Alcide picking you up tonight, sweetie?" Her mom asked as she dried the last plate to put away.

"In about a half hour, Mama. I really should get ready, is it okay if I go?" Sookie wasn't very close with her mother. Michelle was a bit jealous of Corbett's affection towards their only girl.

"Sure, go ahead."

Sookie raced up the stairs and changed into a denim mini-skirt and a cute white halter-top that showed off her tan. She shoved her feet into a comfy pair of wedges and touched up her make-up. It was too humid to do much with her hair, so she pulled it up into a messy bun.

Pushing back the fear that was tingling through her, she clunked down the steps to say goodnight to her Daddy, who was in the easy chair watching the news.

"I'm leaving in a bit, Daddy," she said and kissed him on the forehead.

Her Dad sighed and tugged at her hand. "You know I don't care for that guy, all that much, Sunshine. I don't think he's good for you."

She sat down on the arm of the easy chair and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I know, Daddy. He's real good to me and I really love him."

"I know you do, Sook. I just think you could do a lot better than him." Corbett shook his head. "I've always figured you would wind up with that tall kid someday."

Sookie couldn't help but giggle. Her parents loved Eric Northman something fierce. "I know, Daddy. I know. He's my best friend. I just don't see him like that."

Corbett grumbled something about not seeing something that was right in front of her face just as Alcide pulled into the driveway in his souped old hot rod.

"Bye, Daddy," she kissed him on the head. "I won't be late."

"You better not, my shotgun is loaded and sitting right by the door." He threatened with a half smile, although she knew he would probably love to scare Alcide off with it.

She and Alcide started dating in January of her junior year and had been together almost six months. That was a pretty big deal in high school. Alcide was a senior like her brother Jason, but his sport was football. He had a full ride to U of L and would be leaving in July for training. Before this big mess she had been heartbroken over the idea of him leaving her. Now she was even more worried about the idea of possibly raising a baby alone.

He honked the horn right as she went out the front door. She jumped in the car with him and they roared off down the dirt road. He was blasting classic rock, which she normally liked, but she really did need to talk to him so she lowered the volume a bit.

"Where are we heading tonight?" She asked meekly. He looked really nice, his dark hair was still damp from his shower and so curly and soft she wanted to run her hands through it. He flashed her a smile and his green eyes sparkled.

"I thought maybe we might go park down by the lake," he winked at her and took a hold of her hand.

Alcide was the first boy she had went all the way with and it took her a while to give in. They had only been having sex for about two months, but boy did they seem to have a lot of it! Not that she minded too much, because it felt pretty nice and Alcide told her he loved her every time they were intimate. Sometimes she just wished they could spend time with their friends.

"I don't really want to go out to the lake tonight, Al," she said softly. "I would really like to talk for awhile. I have something kind of important to tell you."

He frowned and let go over her hand, placing both hands on the steering wheel. "We have plenty of time for talking later. Come on, Sook, let's go to the lake."

She sighed and shook her head. "No, Alcide, I really don't feel like it tonight."

"Damn, what's got you in such a mood?" His voice had lost the teasing lilt.

"Well, like I said, there is something important I need to tell you." She gripped her hands tightly in her lap, steeling her nerves. Surely he would be upset when she told him, but he would stand by her, right?

"Fine. Let's head on over to Merlotte's and hang out with the gang. We can talk later." He turned the radio back up so there was not point in her trying to talk to him any longer.

When she first met Alcide she was swept off her feet by all of the attention. He was tall, handsome and had a really nice body. He usually only dated cheerleaders but for some reason on that cold, rainy day in January he took notice of her in the hallway. She didn't think she looked extra nice that day; she was dressed as she normally did, but apparently something caught his eye. He came up to her and asked if he could call her sometime and that was how it all began.

Alcide pulled into Merlotte's and the parking lot was full of cars belonging to students from Bon Temps High. He got out of the car and made his way for the door before she was even out of her seatbelt. It smarted a bit, but she reasoned he was probably a little mad she didn't want to go have sex. It seemed to be about all they did these days.

Sookie pushed open the door and scanned the room. Alcide was all ready at the pool table talking with Hoyt, Bill and JB. Her brother was shooting and it looked like they had a serious game going on.

Tara, Amelia, Eric and Tray were seated together in a booth, sharing a big basket of fries so she made her way over to them.

"Hey, guys!" She smiled, trying to sound cheerful even though her head was spinning.

"Heya, Sook!" Tara grinned and gave her best friend a hug.

Eric stood up and wrapped her in his long arms. "I don't feel like I see you very much anymore," he said quietly in her ear.

She felt terrible. "I know I am going to get better about that, I promise." She responded just as softly.

Tara slid back in, followed by Eric so Sookie could sit next to him. Amelia and Tray were snuggled together, being the cute couple they were since 7th grade. It was enough to make a person puke.

"So how are things going with Alcide, Sook?" Amelia asked dipping a fry in some ranch.

Sookie shrugged. "Things are going pretty good. Not looking forward to him going away in the fall." Or telling him I am pregnant, she thought to herself.

"You going to try and do the long distance thing?" Tara leaned around Eric with her eyebrow quirked. She was known for being practical.

"We're sure gonna try!" Sookie plastered that smile back on her face and stole a sip of Eric's sweet tea. He always shared with her; she didn't even need to ask. She wondered how her friends were going to take the news.

"You are, huh?" Tray looked a bit surprised.

"What's that supposed to mean, Dawson?" Eric was quick to pick up on the tone of Tray's voice.

Tray shook his head. "Nothing, man." Tray and Alcide were pretty good friends, they had known one another since Pee Wee football.

"Tray!" Amelia scolded, elbowing him in the ribs. "What do you know?"

"It's not a big deal," he insisted, trying to stuff a mouthful of fries in but Amelia caught his hand.

"Tray Dawson if you don't tell us what you know right now, I am going to cut you off." She barked. "Cut. You. Off. As in no sex, no nothing until the end of the summer."

Tray paled and dropped the fries. "Well, I did overhear him in the showers yesterday after PE. He said something…about…"

"Spit it out, Tray," Eric leaned forward, while grasping Sookie's suddenly icy hand under the table.

Her stomach turned and she got that feeling. You know the feeling you get before something really bad is gonna happen? It was that sort of feeling.

"He said he couldn't wait to try all the fresh pussy in college." Tray mumbled out really quickly.

Sookie's heart dropped and immediately her eyes filled with tears.

"That no good rat bastard!" Tara hollered, thankfully the jukebox was so loud that it wasn't heard passed their group.

"He really said that?" Sookie looked Tray dead in the eyes, and he did not look away from her as he nodded.

"Sook, move over. I am going to have a word with that fucker," Eric growled, trying to scooch her out of the booth. Eric might not be as built as Alcide, but he had several inches on him and he was long, lean and very strong. He used to bench press her when they were bored.

"No." She shook her head. For a moment she felt like she was going to be sick. She took a deep breath and stood up, smoothing down her skirt. She straightened her top and marched over to wear Alcide stood with the rest of the guys.

"Hey, sugar," he smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her waist and copping a feel of her butt in the process. She could smell beer on his breath and she wondered who had snuck him some.

"I need to talk to you. Now." She responded, looking into his face.

His smile faded and his face hardened. "Not now, Sook, I have money riding on this game."

"Alcide, so help me if you don't come talk to me right now!" Her voice rose and she swatted his arm off her.

"Okay! Okay! Damn, woman! Why do you have to be such a nag?" He set down his drink and followed her to a booth.

His comments smarted. She didn't nag him. In fact, she pretty much went along with anything he wanted. They watched the movies he liked, ate the food he preferred, and hung out with his friends and their snotty girlfriends who weren't very nice to her.

She took a seat and he followed suit, sliding in across from her.

"Now what's your problem?" He asked, resting his hands on the table.

"Are you planning on breaking up with me before you go to college?" She asked, barely above a whisper. Tears were welling up in her eyes again, but she knew he would get mad at her if she cried.

"What? Are you crazy, Sookie?" He was pissed off, and she was pretty sure he was also lying.

"Well how do you plan to have all that fresh pussy if you have a girlfriend back home?" She looked him dead in the eyes and watched as he quickly looked away. "Or were you plannin' on having both?"

"Oh come on, Sook," he groaned leaning back against the seat. "It's college, that's what it's all about."

Sookie felt like the rug was being yanked out from underneath her. "Alcide, I'm pregnant."

He laughed. "Be serious, Sookie. That's the oldest trick in the book. If I had a dime for every time I heard that…" His voice trailed off as he saw the tears in her eyes.

"I am serious, Alcide. I took five tests this afternoon. They were all positive." She whispered, unable to stop the tears from flowing.

"Who's is it? Sure as hell ain't mine! We always used a condom!" He growled and leaned forward, pounding his hand on the table.

"Of course it's yours, Alcide! You are the only boy I have ever been with, you know that!" She cried, her sobs making her words hard to understand. "And you know there were plenty of times you talked me into not using a condom."

"Stop your blubbering, Sookie. You look stupid when you cry." He looked at her with such loathing her heart burst into pieces. "Don't blame this shit on me, it's your problem."

"Alcide! You said you loved me!" She whimpered as she tried to control herself. "This is our baby!"

"That's where you're wrong, sugar. This sure as fuck ain't my problem and neither are you. You were just a way to kill the time before I went away to college. We could have had a couple good months left and then you had to go and ruin it." He stood up with such force he moved the table and she could see Eric straining his neck to see what was going on. "I'm done with you, Stackhouse. Who knows who else you let under your skirt. You were easy enough for me to get, no telling what else you've been doing."

He walked away from her and she heard the door to Merlotte's slam behind him.

She sat there in stunned silence before she let her head drop into onto the table and she buried her face in her arms and just cried.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I will be posting weekly on my blog, chapter 3 will be up soon. Please check there for teasers, updates and banners. Address is on my profile or you can PM me.

Chapter 2

Sookie sat there for what seemed like an eternity before she felt a hand on her back.

"Sook?" She recognized Eric's touch before his voice and she raised her tear-stained face to his. "What the hell just happened?"

Her shoulders shook with her sobs and try as she might she couldn't get the words out. Eric slid in next to her and took her in his arms, patting her back.

"Did you guys break up?" He whispered.

All she could do was nod and she gasped for air against his chest.

"Because of what Tray said?"

Again she nodded but managed to squeak out, "There's more, though."

"What is it, Sook?" He pulled her away from him, tilting her chin to look into her face.

She stared into his deep blue eyes and couldn't imagine telling him her secret. He was going to hate her. She knew Eric always liked her a little bit all of these years and there were times when she liked him, too. Eric didn't even know she was having sex with Alcide.

"I'm pregnant, Eric," she whispered, her chin trembling in his hand.

His eyes widened to the point she thought they might pop out of his head. A multitude of emotions crossed his face, shock, hurt, anger and sorrow. "Are you sure?"

"I don't think five pregnancy tests could be wrong." She attempted a smile but wound up just burying her face in his chest.

"What did Alcide say?" He leaned his head on the top of hers, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"He said it wasn't his. He said some really nasty things to me and told me I wasn't his problem."

"He said what?" Eric was immediately on his feet. He was usually very level headed but when he got mad, there was no stopping him. "I am going to beat his ass!"

"Eric, no! Please!" She jumped up too aware they were causing a commotion. Amelia, Tray and Tara came to stand with them.

"He doesn't get to treat you like this and get away with it, Sookie. He is a worthless piece of shit." Eric growled, his face darkening red and his fists were clenching and unclenching.

"Whoa, whoa, what's going on here?" Tray asked, placing a hand on Eric's arm.

Tara slipped her arm around Sookie's waist and held her close. "What happened?"

Eric looked at Sookie for her permission. She closed her eyes and bowed her head in defeat. They would all find out soon enough. She nodded.

"That fucker got her pregnant and told her it's not his." Eric jerked his arm away from Tray. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't be the holy hell out of him."

"I don't have one. Let's go." Tray and Eric were out the door before anyone could stop them.

Amelia rushed after them, while Tara walked slowly with Sookie out the door. Thankfully Jason was so wrapped up with his flavor of the week (or night knowing him) he had missed the whole confrontation. For once Sookie was appreciative of how little interest he took in her.

Once outside a scuffle between Eric and Alcide had all ready broke out. Eric's nose was bleeding but Alcide had a gash under his eye. Tray stood to the side and let them go out it while they were evenly matched. Amelia was crying and begging Tray to break it up.

"Eric!" Sookie cried. "Please! Please just stop!"

Eric turned when he heard Sookie's voice and Alcide took that advantage to hit with a hard blow to the right side of his head, right over his ear. Eric was obviously dazed and shaking his head, trying to regain his equilibrium and Sookie could see the blood starting to run out of it.

"Oh, fuck this shit." Tray growled as Alcide went in for another blow. He caught him off guard and with one sound punch to the face, laying Alcide flat on his back.

Sookie rushed to Eric, who was still dazed. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Eric nodded. "Just give me a minute." Sookie looked around her, at Alcide flat on his back, Amelia kissing Tray's fist and Tara standing there looking mad as hell with her hands on her hips.

Tara stomped forward and glared at Alcide as he groaned. "You're a real piece of work, aren't you, Alcide? I always knew Sookie was too good for you, you're lucky she even graced you with her presence let alone anything else."

"Fuck…Sookie…" he moaned.

"Oh really, now?" Tara said, cocking her eyebrow. " I think it is more like fuck you, Alcide!" She lifted her leg to punctuate her comment with a solid kick to Alcide's family jewels when she was pulled back by Tray.

"Dammit, Tray!" Tara yelled shoving him away from her.

"He's had enough." Tray said herding everyone together and walking them toward their cars. "We don't need anymore trouble if the rest of his friends show up."

"Sookie," Eric put his hand on her shoulder. "Can I take you home?"

She nodded and offered a tiny smile. "Yes, please. Thank you for being such a good friend, Eric."

Tara and Amelia both hugged and kissed her before getting in the car with Tray. She promised she would call them tomorrow once she was able to process everything that happened.

Eric led her to his car and unlocked her door for her, carefully helping her inside. She settled into the seat and took in the familiar smell, before reaching over to unlock his door for him.

He started his engine and flipped down his visor, peering at his nose. "I don't think it's broken."

She looked at it carefully, "It's hard to tell, but if it doesn't feel broken, it probably isn't. Do you have any Kleenex or anything we can use to clean you up? I don't want my parents seeing you like this."

Eric looked surprised. "You want me to come in?" They hadn't hung out alone since she started seeing Alcide.

"I really could use my best friend right now," she whispered.

He looked at her for a moment and gently touched her cheek. "You know I'll always be here for you, Sook." He reached in the back seat and pulled out an old t-shirt. He patted gently at his nose. The bleeding had mostly stopped but the dried blood looked awful.

Sookie reached into her purse and pulled out a mini water bottle. She liked to keep one with her at all times, especially during the heat of the summer. She poured some of it onto his t-shirt and began to gently clean his face.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I don't deserve a friend like you."

"What are you talking about?" He cocked his head at her, confused. "Of course you do."

"I haven't been a very good friend to you over these last few months." She said regretfully.

"Sookie Stackhouse. You have been my best friend since kindergarten when you told Jed Jones that if he didn't stop making fun of me for being so tall you were going to tell everyone he still wet the bed." He was looking at fondly. "A few months of drifting apart is nothing with a friendship like ours."

"Thank you for standing up for me tonight." She said sincerely.

"Anytime." He grinned and they took off, heading for her house.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I will be posting a week ahead on my blog, chapter 4 is now posted. Please check there for teasers, updates and banners. Address is on my profile or you can PM me.

Chapter 3

It was only half past nine when they pulled into her driveway. The lights were still on so she knew that meant her daddy was still up.

"He's going to wonder what happened," Eric said as he turned off the car, a worried look on his face.

"He'll ask some questions. I'll tell him we broke up but I am not ready to tell him anything else." She flipped on his dome light and took a look at him.

"How do I look?"

"Like you got into a fight." She sighed. "Come on."

They stomped up the stairs and into the house.

"Hey, Sunshine! You're home early! And look at that, you brought the tall kid with you." Corbett stood up with a big smile on his face. "Good to see you, Eric! It's been awhile! You've filled out quite a bit over these last few months!"

Eric stepped forward to shake his hand. "Nice to see you too, Mr. Stackhouse. I've been lifting weights."

"God almighty, kid, what happened to your face?" Corbett stepped closer, tilting Eric's head into the light. "Where's Alcide? Why didn't he bring you home?"

Exchanging a look with Eric, Sookie twisted her hands together and tried to keep her voice steady. "Well, we broke up tonight, Daddy and Eric was kind enough to bring me home. I figured he and I could catch up, if you don't mind him being here so late."

"You know we are always happy to have Eric around. We hardly see him these days. What happened with Alcide? Did he do this to you, son?" Corbett's face grew a little bit red and Sookie hoped he wouldn't raise his voice and wake up her mama.

"Yes, sir." Eric responded respectfully, his hands tucked inside his pockets. "Sookie and Alcide broke up tonight and he wasn't very nice to her. I guess I lost my temper. I'm sorry, Mr. Stackhouse. I promise you Sookie wasn't in danger."

The corner of Corbett's mouth lifted as he said, "What does he look like?"

Eric tried to hide a smile. "I would say he get the worst of it, sir."

Corbett grinned and slapped Eric on the back. "Call me Corbett, son. You've been around as long as I can remember. Mr. Stackhouse makes me feel too old." He focused his attention back on his little girl. "Are you okay, Sookie?"

She nodded and forced a smile. "I'm fine, Daddy. I think it's for the best. I'm more worried about Eric. May we be excused so I can get him some ice?"

"Of course, Sunshine. You kids hang out as long as you want, just remember the bedroom door stays open." Corbett sat back down in his recliner and un-muted the TV.

"Thanks, Daddy."

Eric followed Sookie into the kitchen where she filled two zip lock bags with ice and grabbed a couple of hand towels. They went quietly went up the stairs and he stretched out on her bed with a heavy sigh. She helped him position the ice and sat down next to him. He watched her curiously while she figured out what she wanted to say.

"I'm in a big mess, Eric." She was looking down, pulling at the edges of her skirt. A string peeked from her hem and she was focused on snapping it off.

He nodded. "I agree. Do you have any idea what you want to do? Keep it? Adopt? Ab-"

"No." She said firmly, looking him in his eyes. "I couldn't have an abortion. It isn't how I was raised and I know a girl who had one last year…Eric, she was just never the same."

"Did it mess her insides up?" Eric asked confused.

She tried not to roll her eyes and reminded herself he was a clueless boy. "No, it didn't mess her insides up. It messed her head up. She wound up dropping out of school."

"Oh! Okay. So that's out." He rubbed the soft stubble on his chin thoughtfully.

Eric was always good with calm, cool logic and she needed his level head now more than ever.

"As far as keepin' it or puttin' it up for adoption? I just don't know. I guess my first step is to make an appointment at the women's clinic and figure out how far along I am." She got up and grabbed her jammies out of her drawer. "I'll be right back."

She changed quickly in the bathroom, brushed her teeth and washed her face. When she came back in her room, Eric was laying there with that same thoughtful expression.

"I'll go with you," he decided. "You shouldn't go alone."

She sat down next to him on the bed, her eyes getting watery again. "Would you really?"

"Of course," his voice cracked a bit and he cleared his throat. He looked like he might cry. Sookie had never seen him cry. "Would you mind turning off the lights? I have an awful headache."

"Sure. Let me get us some water and I will get you an aspirin, too."

When she returned Eric quickly swallowed the aspirin and lay back down. She sat down next to him and he put his arm around her, pulled her down so her head rested on his chest. The familiar sound of his heart beating in her ear relaxed her. Alcide didn't like to snuggle and it was something she had missed. Eric was the best snuggler she knew.

He rubbed her back soothingly and she let out a shaky breath. "It's gonna be okay, Sook."

"I hope so," she whispered.

He leaned down and placed a gentle, comforting kiss to her forehead. She felt a wetness as he pulled away, and wasn't sure if it was from the ice, or if he, like her, was silently crying.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I will be posting a week ahead on my blog, chapter 5 is now posted. A teaser for chapter 6 will also be posted once I hit ten reviews on the blog! :o) Remember, comments are what keeps us writers going, they mean the world to us and we love to know what you like, don't like (in the nicest possible way) and what your thoughts are about the story. Address is on my profile or you can PM me.

Chapter 4

Sookie was hot and sweaty when she awoke in the morning. She groaned and tried to kick the covers off, but realized she was laying on them and the reason for her warmth was her 6'5" bff snuggled up to her like she was a body pillow. She could see the bruises formed on his nose and on the side of his face by his ear. Poor Eric. He was such a good friend to her and she couldn't help but feel guilty for letting him down these past few months.

She could smell breakfast cooking and her stomach rumbled. "Come on," she nudged him. "Time to wake up."

He mumbled something and flung his arm over his eyes to block out the light. "Ow!" He sat up quickly, gently touching his nose. "Shit!"

"Does it still hurt?" She got up and slid her feet into slippers.

"Well, it didn't feel good getting smacked with my arm, that's for sure. Man, this su- wait. Is that food I smell?" He quickly stood up and breathed in deeply. "Hey, my sniffer still works. What's your mom cooking?"

"Dunno, let's go find out!"

They bounded down the stairs and were greeted by the rest of the family just sitting down to eat. The table was piled with pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon. Her mom must have realized Eric stayed over since she didn't normally make so much, but Eric ate like his stomach was a bottomless pit.

"Morning, kids," Corbett greeted them, sipping on his coffee.

Michelle handed Eric a glass of orange juice. "It's nice to see you, Eric. My, what happened to your face?"

Jason's head jerked up and he rubbed his sleep filled eyes. The only reason he was up so early was because tonight is their championship game. "Man, you look like shit!"

"Jason! Language!" Corbett smacked the table. "Watch how you talk around your mother and your sister, I will not have those words spoken at the table."

"Yes, sir," Jason grumbled. "Hey! Alcide got into a fight last night! Was that you?"

Eric's face flushed and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sookie? Did something happen with Alcide?" Michelle looked at her daughter with some interest.

"Yes, ma'am. We broke up last night." She took a bite of her crispy bacon before cutting into her pancakes.

"So you beat him up, Eric?" Jason asked incredulously.

"Not exactly," Eric responded, shoveling in a mouthful of eggs.

"Did ya try and steal Sook from him and he beat you up?" Jason was almost gleeful.

"Jason, that's enough. If you must know Alcide said some not so nice things about your sister and Eric defended her honor." Corbett sighed. "Now obviously Eric and Sookie don't want to talk about it. Let's just be glad that asshole is out of the picture and move on."

Everyone grew silent and Sookie sneaked a look at her daddy.

"Dad, language!" Jason laughed heartily before his dad boxed him on the back of the head.

The tension broke as they joined in laughing and Corbett apologized for his rudeness.

"Are you coming with us to the game tonight, Eric?" Michelle asked politely.

Eric finished chewing and swallowed. "Sure, that sounds like fun! If Sook wants me to come."

"Sounds great!" She smiled and took another drink of her milk. Her stomach began to churn and she jumped from the table and raced to the bathroom. She barely made it inside and closed the door before she began to empty her stomach.

There was a knock on the door. "Sunshine, you okay?"

"Yes," she called, fighting back the urge to vomit again. "I think it must be the stress from last night."

"All right then. Let us know if you need anything."

She lay on the floor in the bathroom, the tile cool on her skin. Each time she felt like she might be able to get up her stomach turned and she got sick again.

"Sookie?" Eric's voice was muffled behind the door. "I have some 7UP for you."

She groaned and tried to move. "Come in, I can't get up."

He slipped in the door and quickly closed it behind him. "Man, you look terrible!"

"Gee thanks, Eric," she took a sip of the warm 7UP and appreciated that he thought about putting a bendy straw in there for her, making it much easier to sip on.

He ran cold water in the sink and soaked a washcloth, squeezing out the excess water. Sitting down on the floor next to her he gently wiped down her face, her neck and arms, before laying it over her forehead.

She sighed. "That feels like heaven."

"I'm sorry this is happening to you, Sook." He looked so worried for her.

She took his hand and squeezed it. "It's not your fault, Eric."

"I know, I still feel terrible, though. Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?"

"Can you just sit here with me?" She asked.

"You got it." He scooted over and gently lifted her head onto his lap. He stroked her sweaty hair back from her face and flipped the washcloth to the other side.

OoOoO

"Do you think Alcide will show up?" Sookie asked as she and Eric followed her parents up the bleachers.

"Hard to say with him. I guess it depends on how bad he looks." Eric chuckled. "Don't worry if he does, though. He's not getting anywhere near you."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and shook her head. He was pretty bruised up but it didn't take away from his handsome face. "Thanks, Eric. You're the best friend a girl could ask for."

He turned red and laughed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah…tell me something I don't know."

They took seats right behind her parents just as the game was about to start. Jason played catcher and he was warming up the pitcher. Despite his smaller stature, Jason was a brick house and had knocked more than one player away from home plate.

"Good work, son." Corbett turned around and patted Eric on the knee. "He does look worse than you."

Eric and Sookie looked up to see Alcide walking along with a bit of a limp. He looked like he was in a car accident.

"Well, Corbett, I would like to take credit for all of that," Eric whispered in his ear. "But that limp he has? I heard some girl kicked him in the balls last night after he got handsy at a party."

Corbett choked on his soda and laughed so hard Michelle turned to look at him in horror. "What is so funny?"

"Oh nothing, honey, just guy talk." Corbett responded before he kissed her quickly on the cheek.

Alcide and his group kept their distance and the game was action packed. Despite everything that was going through her head, Sookie was able to forget for just a little while the trials she was about to face.

Bon Temps pitched a no-hitter and won the game 5-0. After the game Corbett and Michelle congratulated the team and headed home.

"You guys up for a celebration?" Jason asked, still flying high from the win. "We're gonna have a kegger at JB's house. His parents are out of town."

Sookie looked at Eric and shrugged. This might be her real last chance to go out and have some fun before things began to change. "What do you think?"

"I'm game if you are. Do you feel up to it?" He asked quietly. "Alcide will probably be there."

"I know," she nodded and sighed. "But I'm not going to have much of social life here soon, so maybe I should just make the most of it."

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me, Sook." He swung his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into his side.

"Let's go." She smiled.

"We're in." Eric told Jason.

"All right! I am gonna hit the showers and I'll see you guys there!" Jason took off with some of his buddies from the team, roughhousing and laughing as they went.

"In spite of everything, this has been a pretty good night." Sookie said. "I'm happy for Jason, JB and Hoyt. They worked real hard this season."

"It's a good way to go out, it being their senior year and all." Eric agreed as they walked slowly to his car, kicking loose rocks that skipped across the pavement.

"I can't believe we are going to be seniors next year," she lamented, leaning against the side of Eric's car, enjoying the cool night air.

"I know, it's kind of scary, college is just around the corner. I need to decide where I am going to go." He unlocked her door and helped her in.

Once they were on the road he asked, "Do you know where you want to go?"

Sookie was silent and took a deep shaky breath. "Well, I _knew_ where I wanted to go. Just not so sure if it is going to happen now."

"Shit, Sookie." He groaned. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay, Eric, really." She patted his leg reassuringly. "How about you?"

He shrugged his shoulders like it didn't matter and turned on the radio. She let him listen to a few songs before she turned the volume down, preparing to herself to make him talk.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I will be posting a week ahead on my blog, chapter 6 is now posted. A teaser for chapter 7 will also be posted once I hit ten reviews here! :o) Remember, comments are what keeps us writers going, they mean the world to us and we love to know what you like, don't like (in the nicest possible way) and what your thoughts are about the story. Even if you just give a thumbs up, it's nice to see. :o) Address is on my profile for blog or you can PM me.

Chapter 5

Sookie looked at Eric expectantly. "Eric."

"I was thinking about Tulane if I get in." He said hesitantly, knowing that was her first choice.

"It's a great school." She agreed, settling back into the seat, gazing out the window at the stars in the sky as they drove through the country to JB's house. She blinked her eyes to keep the tears back.

"This doesn't mean you can't go to college, Sook." He said gently, reaching across to where her hands were clenched in her lap.

She nodded, afraid to speak.

Eric wove his hand in between hers and slowed down the car, pulling off the road. He parked the car and cut the engine, turning to face her. "Why didn't you tell me, Sookie?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"About me and Alcide?" She asked tearfully, wiping at her eyes. She couldn't bear to look into his, afraid of what she might see.

"Yes."

She shook her head and sighed. "I was worried you would be mad at me. I knew you didn't like him and I was worried you would think I was being stupid."

Eric stretched across the bench seat and pulled her back against him, nestling her in his arms. "I would never think you are stupid."

"But you're mad."

"A little. It's hard." He responded, tenderly rubbing her back as she tucked her head under his chin.

Her tears made his shirt damp. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Sook. You didn't mean for things to turn out this way. I just always kinda thought…well, you know." His voice trailed off and she didn't have to look up at him to know he was flushed.

She pressed a kiss over his heart. "I know. I always thought so, too."

"We were one another's first kiss." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat, trying to cover it with a cough.

"Yeah, we were." She nodded, listening to his heart thump under her ear. "My first time making out was with you."

"Mine, too."

"If you liked me so much why didn't you ever ask me to be your girlfriend?" She looked up into his eyes, which were dark blue in the moonlight.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I wish I had." His eyes took on sheen and she wondered if he was going to cry.

She touched the side of his face, feeling his soft stubble, then swept her hand gently over his eyes as he closed them. "Don't be sad, Eric."

He didn't say anything, just held her closer, burying his face into her hair, hiding his tears.

"You are the best friend I have ever had, Eric."

"I know I've always been in the friend zone." He responded with a laugh.

She sat up and looked at him. "Eric Northman! Are you kidding me?"

"What?" He leaned his head back against the seat, looking at her curiously.

"You put yourself in the friend zone. I didn't do that." She put her hands on her hips.

"I wanted to ask you to the junior prom," Eric said wistfully, "but Alcide asked you to be his girlfriend before I could."

Sookie snorted and fell back against him. "Well, Eric, if you don't mind his cast-off you can ask me now. I am sure he isn't going to want to go with me."

"Don't talk about yourself like that." He scolded, his voice tense. "You were always too good for him."

She smiled into his chest. "You have to say that. It's in our friendship contract."

He laughed, a deep laugh that shook her and it sounded wonderful. She joined in, his laughter was contagious. "Tell me, Sook, what is in this so-called friendship contract?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She stuck her tongue out at him and poked his side where he was ticklish.

He grabbed her hands to stop her and pulled her close to him, her hands stretched above his head. "Yes, I actually would." His voice deepened.

Sookie felt the familiar attraction she always carried for Eric begin to tingle in her stomach. She'd been in love with him ever since she could remember, but she was too shy to ever do anything about it. When Alcide asked her out, she was flattered and excited that someone as old and as popular as him would pay attention to her. She got swept up with all the attention and when he told her that he loved her, she reckoned she loved him too.

She bit her lip and looked up into Eric's face. He was studying her intently, his body warm against hers. "Sookie?" He whispered hoarsely.

"Mmm?" She sighed, pulling her hands loose from his, resting them on his shoulders. She stroked the soft, silky hair at the base of his neck.

"Do you ever think about that night?" His breath was warm against her neck as he leaned down to speak in her ear.

"The one after homecoming?" She asked, shivering from the memory.

"Yes." He stroked the end of her ponytail, twirling the ends around his long fingers.

She pulled back so she could see his face. "Do you?"

"All the time." His lips were so close to hers, all she had to do was move a fraction of an inch and they would be kissing. Eric slowly leaned forward and she closed her eyes, waiting to feel his soft kiss. Instead, his head dipped to her neck and he placed several kisses along the column of her throat. For a moment she felt his tongue, wet against her skin and then he pulled back. "I'm sorry."

Startled Sookie returned to her seat as he started the car and pulled on his seatbelt. She watched him through her tear-filled eyes as she fastened her own belt and he got them back on the road.

Soon Eric parked in the field by JB's house and Sookie quickly flipped down the visor to check her eye makeup. She blotted her smeared eyeliner with a Kleenex from her purse and touched up her lip-gloss. Eric opened the door for her and helped her out before they silently made their way towards the crowd of kids gathered around the bon-fire in JB's backfield.

She could see Alcide standing with Dawn, one of the girls that hung out with his group of friends and they looked awfully cozy. Despite whatever almost occurred between her and Eric a few moments ago, it really kicked her in the gut to see him touching another girl like that. She stopped a moment in her tracks, trying to prepare herself for what might come.

Eric realized she was not behind him and turned back to her. His legs were so long he took much longer steps than she did. "What is it, Sookie?" He asked, blocking her from the partying crowd behind them.

"He's already moved on!" She cried, craning her head to see Eric's face.

"He doesn't deserve you." He repeated what he said earlier, rubbing her arm.

"You don't know the half of it, Eric." She responded, tightening her ponytail and smoothing her clothes.

"What haven't you told me, Sook?" He hunched down a bit to see her eyes. He had a bad habit of slouching when he was with shorter people.

She shook her head. "Nothing I can tell you right now, Eric. I don't want to get either of us upset. I just can't believe it took him less than 24 hours to start messing around with Dawn. He moved fast."

Eric's jaw was set and she wished she could read what was going through his mind. He took her hand firmly in his and pulled her along with him. "Fuck him. He's not the only one who has moved on."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I will be posting a week ahead on my blog, chapter 7 is now posted. Remember, comments are what keeps us writers going, they mean the world to us and we love to know what you like, don't like (in the nicest possible way) and what your thoughts are about the story. Even if you just give a thumbs up, it's nice to see. :o) Address is on my profile for blog or you can PM me. This time I am going to be offering teasers for the next chapter with each review! Make sure you are signed in so I can respond! XO

Chapter 6

Sookie trailed along behind him her eyes wide open. "Umm, Eric?" She picked up her pace glad to be wearing sneakers.

"I'm not going to let him make a fool out of you." Eric growled as they pushed their way through the crowd to the keg.

"You want me to drive home tonight?" Sookie laughed as she watched him fill his cup.

"Do you mind?" He asked before he chugged his beer.

She shook her head. "Just as long as you don't get too wasted and do something stupid."

He was all ready finishing his second cup and he cocked his eyebrow at her. "Like what, Miss Stackhouse?" He pulled her against his body, nuzzling her neck. "Like this?"

"Eric!" She whispered, her hands gripping his biceps. Oh! They were much bigger than she remembered.

"What? You don't want to make Alcide jealous? Make him realize what an asshole he was to you?" His lips brushed against her forehead as he led her over to the fire. Pulling her against him he wrapped one arm around her and held his beer with the other hand.

"I don't want him back." She responded, looking over her shoulder to see his smile.

"I know you don't." He took another sip. "But why not have fun?"

She shrugged, not entirely opposed to the idea. "Just don't take it too far, Eric."

He gave her his smirk that made girls go crazy. "We'll see about that."

Sookie looked around for their friends and found Tara and JB kissing over by the hammock JB had strung up last summer. It was a great spot to see the stars. She caught Amelia's eye and soon she was walking over with Tray trailing behind her.

"Hey guys!" Amelia grinned, giving Sookie a huge hug. "I didn't hear from you today. I was worried about you."

"I know, I'm sorry." She said apologetically as Eric pulled her back against him again, almost possessively. "I really haven't felt much like talking and we had Jason's game tonight."

Amelia checked out Eric's arm around Sookie's body with surprise. "What the hell?" She mouthed at Sookie.

Sookie raised her shoulders slightly and offered a smile. "Protective, I guess." She said quietly, hoping he didn't hear.

"Who's protective?" Tray asked as he handed Eric another beer. "Eric?"

"Yeah, so what?" Eric responded. "This girl is my best friend. I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

"You've always been a great friend to her, Eric." Amelia agreed, still looking at Sookie with curiosity.

"Damn straight." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love my girl."

"You better slow down on those beers, buddy." Sookie looked up at him with a laugh. "You might be a giant but drinking them that fast will give you a good buzz. Plus we haven't ate yet."

"You think I am drinking too much because I said I love you?" He murmured quietly.

Damn him and his warm breath and sounding all sexy in her ear!

"Not at all." She batted her eyelashes at him and looked back to Amelia with a smile.

"Come on, man, let's go help JB get his balls back." Tray tugged on Eric's arm, pulling him away from Sookie.

Eric paused with a grin on his face. "I don't know about you, man, but I have no interest in having anything to do with JB's balls."

Sookie and Amelia laughed as Tray grumbled, pulling Eric away with him.

The girls stood shoulder to shoulder by the fire in comfortable silence.

"How are you really, Sookie?" Amelia slung her arm around her best friend's waist.

"Terrified. Petrified. Horrified and all sorts of other 'fieds' I can't think of right now." She responded honestly.

Amelia sighed. "I can't blame you. Are you going to get rid of it?"

"No." Sookie looked her friends in the eyes. "I can't do that. I just can't."

"Adoption?"

Sookie shrugged. "Maybe? It's still so new I can't wrap my head around it."

"Sook, I know this sucks for you and I can't imagine how you feel." Amelia tucked a loose strand of Sookie's hair back into her ponytail. "But I can't tell you how glad I am that you are away from that asshole."

Sookie looked down at the ground, trying not to cry. She dug her shoe into the dirt, dragging it in circles to make a figure eight.

"He was mean to you, Sookie."

She nodded.

"And I don't mean 'mean' as in he wasn't all that nice, he treated you like dirt when he thought no one was paying attention."

"I know." She whispered, looking across the fire to see Eric and Tray talking to JB by the hammock and Tara walking towards them. She wished Eric was still there.

"Don't look now, but you have been noticed." Amelia said in her ear.

"By who?"

"Alcide and his slutty friends."

Sookie groaned and closed her eyes. "Are they coming over here?"

"No, it doesn't look like it."

"Sookie!" Tara grabbed her in a big hug. "Well, it didn't take long for it to get out."

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked, her lip trembling. "Did you guys tell someone?"

"Fuck no!" Tara responded and Amelia shook her head.

"It must have been Alcide!" She looked back up and glared at him from across the fire.

"Yeah, he's telling everyone it isn't his." Tara added, taking a sip of her beer. "He's such a jerk."

"What are you staring at, Stackhouse?" Dawn met her gaze across the fire, her lips curling into a nasty smile.

"I'm not quite sure, Dawn." She responded in her sweet southern drawl. "I was just asking myself that very question."

"Shut up, you stupid slut!" Dawn's friend Ginger chimed in.

Sookie laughed. "You guys are calling me a slut? That's fucking rich. I haven't had every member of the football team and baseball team between my legs."

"You want to come say that to my face?" Dawn pulled away from Tray, her fist clenched at her sides.

"Oh excuse me, but I thought I just did." Sookie responded calmly, trying to keep her cool.

"You fucking bitch!" Dawn started forward when Ginger grabbed her arm and whispered something in her ear.

Dawn began to laugh hysterically, obviously making a show of it. "Oh, that's right. I guess I can't beat up a pregnant chick."

Sookie lifted her jaw defiantly, determined to not let the older girl get to her. "Who said I was pregnant?"

"Alcide did." Dawn continued to giggle and hold her sides. The noise of the party had waned and it seemed they were now the focus of attention.

"Who's is it, huh? We know it's not Alcide's." Ginger asked huffily, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sookie didn't notice Eric approach from behind her, pulling her back into his embrace protectively. "Shut the fuck up, Ginger. You, too, Dawn. We all know you two have given more rides than the Staten Island Fairy."

Dawn and Ginger looked at one another in shock and a low round of laughter echoed through the crowd.

"How's your nose, Northman?" Alcide taunted, tired of watching and not participating.

"It feels just fine, Herveaux. How about your cracked cheekbone?" Eric responded with equal force and Sookie felt him press against her back as he stepped forward a bit.

Alcide chose to ignore the comment and instead asked, "You enjoying my sloppy seconds, dick?"

Sookie felt Eric inhale deeply as his whole body tensed. "There is nothing sloppy about this girl, Alcide. In fact, I was there long before you were, if you were actually ever there. We all know the stories you like to tell, right guys?"

A gasp went through the crowd and Sookie looked up at him in utter shock. Some of the guys roared with laughter, but most were focused on the tension bouncing back and forth between Alcide and Eric.

Alcide stepped forward and Sookie knew exactly what was coming. With this many of their friends there, it would be a bad fight.

"Please, Eric." She turned around to him and caught his face in her hands. "Please don't get into another fight. Please."

"Whose baby is it then? You never answered our question, Sookie." Dawn taunted while holding onto Alcide's arm.

"It's mine." Eric responded defiantly, holding Sookie tight, daring anyone to contradict him. JB and Tray joined Eric and Sookie, while he continued to hold Alcide's steady gaze.

Sookie, on the other hand, was gaping at him in shock.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sookie was stunned. Apparently so was everyone else because it was dead silent for a few moments until people started whispering.

"Eric." Sookie tugged on his shirt. "Eric!"

He grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Eric!" She walked as fast as her legs would go to keep up with him. He was staring straight ahead, his face set in frown. "What…why…what were you thinking?"

"I don't know." He responded as he got them to the car. He dug in his shorts for his keys and then handed them over.

"How much did you drink?" She slid in on the driver's side and started the car up.

His head was leaning against the window seal. The window was rolled down to let the cool air in. "I shot some Patron with Tray and JB." He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his hand.

"Do you have any idea what you just said back there?" She whispered fiercely. "What kind of a mess you created?"

"I did it for you, Sookie." His eyes flashed with anger.

"I didn't ask you to do anything for me!" She raised her voice and pounded her hand into the seat. "How are you going to explain this to people? Your parents are going to find out! My parents are going to think the baby is yours!"

He groaned and covered his eyes. "I know, I know. I couldn't stand to hear them talk to you like that for one more minute. They don't know the first thing about you, Sook!"

"No, they don't! But you do! And you know the last thing in the world I want is you caught up in this mess with me!" She wiped angrily at the tears running down her cheeks.

He glared at her from under his arm. "Too late now."

"Eric, this could ruin everything for you." She yanked his arm from his face, holding his hand. "Look at me!"

He sighed and turned to her, taking in her tear-stained cheeks and her chest as it strained against the sobs she fought back. "Sookie. I may not have thought before I spoke, but I don't take any of it back. I wish the baby was mine."

She gasped, her hand going to her mouth as she stared at him in shock. "Eric, you don't mean that. You don't want to have a baby this young. I know I sure as hell don't!"

"Sook, I'm not saying I wanted to get you pregnant. But if it had to happen to you, I wish it were me that was responsible for it. I can't stand the idea of you being stuck with that jerk for the rest of your life." He pleaded with her as took both of her hands in his.

"Eric, this whole night has been a lot for me to take in. Heck, the last 24 hours were almost more than I can stand. This is a lot."

"Don't worry, I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm saying I _am_ going to be here for you, as much as I can. If Alcide doesn't want anything to do with you or the baby, and you decide to keep it, well…" He focused on the hole in the seam of his shorts, digging his finger into it, as if he were afraid to look her in the eyes. "You have me."

"Oh, Eric." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him as tight as she could. "You're a good person and your heart is in the right place. You're drunk, let's see how you feel about this in the morning, okay?"

He flinched and pulled away from her, resuming his position staring out the window. "I'm not drunk. I know what I'm saying."

She nodded while putting the car into reverse. "Let's get home, okay?"

He stayed silent for most of the ride. She checked on him occasionally out of the corner of her eye. He appeared deep in thought and she wished she knew what he was thinking.

"You want to stay over again?" She broke the silence finally and his head snapped up to look at her.

"I figured you probably wanted to be alone after all of this." His eyes looked sad.

"No, Eric. I'm not mad at you. I'm just a little confused, that's all." She patted his leg and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah, you and me both."

They spoke no more until they reached her house. The lights were out, so they took extra care unlocking the front door and climbing the stairs. She switched on her lamp and he slumped down on the bed. Grabbing her pajamas, she paused before she left the room. "You don't have to sleep in your shirt. I know it's awful hot tonight. Are you wearin' boxers?"

A wry grin perked up his face and he lifted his head up. "Why, Sookie, are you trying to take advantage of me in my inebriated state?"

She giggled, rolling her eyes. "I don't think so, turbo. I was going to say if you are wearing underwear like a normal person, then you can strip down and get comfy. If not, I think I might have a pair of your basketball shorts in my top right drawer."

When she came back in her jammies Eric was standing in front of her dresser, his mouth hanging open. "How come I never got to see any of this stuff?" In his hand were a couple pairs of lacy panties.

"You pervert." She laughed, bumping him with her hips. "I said _right_ drawer, not left!"

"I know." He grinned back, motioning down to his shorts. "I was curious to see how much your underwear changed since I saw it last."

She yanked the panties out of his hand, smacked him upside the head with them and then closed her drawer. "Get in bed before I make you sleep on the floor in Jason's room."

At his name they both stopped in horror.

"Jason is going to think you got me pregnant." She covered her mouth and sank down on the bed. "He is going to kill you."

"Oh, shiiiiit." Eric dropped next to her. "We need to talk to him before someone else does."

"I'll text him!" She grabbed her phone off the nightstand.

_S: J, what are you doing?_

A few moments later her phone beeped.

_J: You don't want me to answer that question._

_S: Are you still at the party?_

_J: I didn't exactly make the party._

Sookie sighed in relief and showed the texts to Eric.

_S: Ok, the party was weird and there's a whole bunch of rumors going around now about me and Alcide breaking up. Don't believe anything you hear until you talk to me, k?_

_J: Sook, I love ya, but really? You're killing my boner here_.

"Oh God. Ew!" She tossed her phone down and shook her head. "Well, at least Jason is so distracted by his penis he doesn't think about anything else!"

Eric got under the covers and pressed himself against the wall. Her twin bed was too small; his feet hung off the end. "That is one of your brother's most endearing qualities."

She turned off the light, laying down facing him. "It's too hot for the covers. Aren't you hot?" She was in a thin tank top and a pair of Eric's old boxer shorts. The fabric was faded blue with white pinstripes and she loved them.

He kicked the covers down. "You're getting pregnancy hormones already."

"Gosh, I hope not." Once settled, she tucked her hands under her chin. It had been a long time since she had seen him without a shirt on; he had really filled out. His pecks were nice and looked firm, which made her giggle.

"What are you laughing about?" He pulled her hair out of the rubber band and gently rubbed her scalp.

"Your pecks." She responded with a grin.

"My pecks? What's wrong with them?" He looked down, flexing them a few times. "I worked hard on these."

"I know. I'm just appreciating how even they are. And that you only have two nipples." Her laughter finally burst out and she muffled her face in the pillow, not wanting to wake her parents.

"What?" His laughter mixed with hers. "Who has un-even pecks and more than two nipples?"

"Alcide!" She laughed even harder at the confused expression on his face.

"Shut up!"

"I swear! You would never know since he was so hairy, but I told him once I didn't like all that hair, so he shaved!" She rolled onto her back, smiling at the memory. "Boy, was I surprised!"

"How uneven are they?" Eric propped himself up so he was looking down at her.

"_Really_ uneven. He actually trims his chest hair on the normal side to make him look symmetric."

He buried his face into her neck and let loose his laughter. The bed began to shake they were laughing so hard. "Wait, what about the nipples?"

She shook her head unsure if she could get it out. Her face hurt from the laughter. "He has an extra set."

"WHAT?" Eric hollered and sat up in the bed, tears pricking his eyes. He held his stomach as he laughed.

Sookie sat up quickly covering his mouth. "Shhh! Don't wake Mama and Daddy up!"

"Where in the hell are they?" He asked, once he was slightly under control.

"About three inches below his normal ones. They're tiny." She remembered how horrified she was the first time she saw him with a shaved chest. She also remembered how he reacted to her when she giggled. She hadn't meant to, she was surprised and didn't know how to react. Pushing that memory out of her mind, she laid back down to face Eric, who had flung himself back on the bed after the nipple revelation.

"No wonder he is such asshole. He's got jacked up pecks, funky nipples and a pretty small dick." He laid his head onto her pillow.

"Hey, how do you know he has a small you-know-what?" She eyed him carefuly.

"I've seen him in the showers. Some guys are show-ers and some guys are growers. He sure as hell isn't a show-er and from what I have heard he also doesn't grow much." He held up his fingers to show his impression.

She wasn't going to comment on that, but she secretly thought Eric was right. Although that worked out well for her, since it was her first time and all. She had seen Eric naked once and knew there was no comparison.

"He got the short end of the stick, that's for sure." She agreed shaking her head. "Hair, nipples and his thing."

After they had been silent for a while Eric cleared his throat and then softly asked, "You want to talk about tonight?"

"We probably should," she admitted, brushing his hair back from his forehead, "although I wouldn't mind putting it off for awhile."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You did promise you would tell me about him not being good to you, though."

"I did." She stretched out and rolled her ankles, giving them a quick pop.

"You're tired." He remarked, gently rubbing her arm.

"A little. How can you tell?"

"You always pop your ankles when you're tired. Then you start- " he laughed, "rubbing your legs."

Sookie looked down to see she had indeed been rubbing her legs with her hand. "Boy, nothing gets by you, does it?"

"Not when I've known you for so long." He smiled. "Here, roll over on your stomach."

"Why?" She did as he asked.

"I'm going to rub your back for you." He said matter-of-factly. "Better get back into practice; I'm sure you're going to need it as the months go on."

"I imagine so. And my feet." She smirked knowing how much Eric despised feet.

He repressed a shudder. "For you, Sookie, as long as they are freshly washed, I will rub your feet." His hands massaged deeply into the tense muscles in her back and she sighed happily. "All right, Sook. Spill."

"What do you want to know?" She asked softly.

"Everything."


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thank you for all of the great reviews! I am so glad you guys are enjoying this so much! Chapter 9 is up on my blog, link in my profile and now on with…

Chapter 8

"Well, he really took me by surprise." Sookie started, thinking back to when they first started dating.

"Yeah, yeah, he swept you off your feet, blah blah blah, I know that part."

"No, not that. When he started…not being so nice."

Eric raised his head up. "He never hit you, did he?"

"Oh no! No, nothing like that at all. It was more verbal, I guess. He was really critical of me. When it first started, it was so subtle I didn't even realize it was happening."

"What would he do?"

"Just little things. Like, for instance you know how emotional I can be sometimes."

He nodded with a smirk. "Yep, you're a crier."

"I am. Unfortunately. He hated it."

"Well, I don't exactly like it either, Sook. It makes me feel terrible."

"No, I mean he really hated it. He would say things like 'Do you have any idea how ugly you look when you cry' or 'That's stupid, knock it off'."

"I can't believe he said that kinda crap to you." Eric stopped rubbing her back for a moment. "He basically called you stupid."

"Right! Thank you!" She exclaimed. "He did that _all_ the time. He never said _I_ was stupid. He said I was _acting_ stupid, or something I _liked_ was stupid. It was so underhanded. We argued about it all the time but he believed if he didn't call _me_ stupid it wasn't the same."

"That's a load of shit, Sook. It's the same thing. He was emotionally abusing you." Eric's voice tightened and he rubbed her back a little harder.

"It took me a long time to realize it; I just really tried to be perfect around him, to never give him a reason to say that." She swallowed a little roughly and she could feel his eyes on her. "You know how Mama and I don't get along all the time?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, one time Alcide was working on his car. When he was done there was a lot of sweeping to do, so I offered to help. He got mad at me and told me I had no idea how to sweep." Her voice quivered as she continued. "He told me I was acting lazy and doing a half ass job. Then-then he said 'No wonder your Mama doesn't like you'."

"He fucking said that to you?" Eric growled and turned Sookie over onto her back.

She nodded as the tears ran down her face. Eric pulled her onto his lap and stroked her hair, rocking her back and forth. "Sook, your Mom loves you. She does. You guys are very different."

She sniffled in response, her face wet against his chest.

"I can't believe he said things like that to you." Eric shook his head. "If I hadn't already kicked his ass I would do it again."

"Please, Eric," she whispered, looking up at him, "no matter what I tell you about him, please don't get into another fight. Please."

His chest rose with a sigh. "I promise. Is there more?"

She laughed sadly. "That's probably the tip of the iceberg."

His grip tightened on her and he leaned them back against the wall.

"I liked to help him when he was re-doing his car. One day he wanted to sandblast the undercarriage to get rid of any rust, and then he was going to paint it. He bought an air compressor and this special mask helmet thing you put over your head. He did it for awhile and it looked kind of fun so I asked him if I could do it." She chewed on her lip before continuing. "I did it for about an hour. It was really hard work but it was also pretty neat to see the sand take away the rust and make the metal shiny again. I had to stop, because so much sand had fallen on the window of my mask I couldn't see anymore. When I slid out from under the car and sat up, all of the sand fell into my eyes."

"Oh, shit, that had to hurt!"

"It did. I cried because it hurt so badly. You know what he did? He laughed and took pictures, because he thought it was so funny. What's even worse is the same thing happened to him, he just didn't tell me because he thought he could get a good laugh."

Eric was finally stunned into silence. He literally had nothing left to say. Instead, he lay down with her, spooning her to his body, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her as close as he could. He kissed her neck and felt her sigh. "Why did you stay with him, Sook?"

"It wasn't all bad and he said he loved me. I thought I needed to work on being…less stupid."

He tugged on her until she turned around to face him. "Sookie, you know you aren't stupid, right? And you know you don't deserve anything he said or did to you?"

"I know." She honestly did, but there were times where she blamed herself for letting it go so far.

"You don't usually take shit from _anyone_ let alone some knucklehead jock. I don't understand how this happened." They were lying nose to nose and his hand gently stroked her cheek.

"I think it happened so slowly he just broke me down. Plus, we had sex, so I felt like I should stay with him. He always told me he loved me."

"When you had sex?" Eric's voice was low.

"Yeah."

"Is that the only time?"

"Usually." She wouldn't look in his eyes, humiliated as she was.

"Fuck, Sookie." He murmured. "Fuck."

"Are you mad at me?" She panicked. She couldn't stand it if Eric was mad at her.

"No, God no. I hate that son-of-a-bitch." He closed his eyes and then looked directly into hers. "Sookie, I _love_ you. I can say that to you without any expectations, because that's what love's all about. I would do anything for you. You're a smart, beautiful, funny and all-around great girl. I should've told you these things a long time ago and I'm sorry I waited."

"Eric." She was shocked by his declaration. Did he mean he _love_ loved her? Or that he loved her like a friend?

"Can I ask you a few things?" Eric hesitated waiting for her answer.

"Anything."

He focused on their pictures tacked to her bulletin board and finally seemed to work up the courage to continue. "Did you use…protection?"

She avoided his gaze. "Most of the time."

"Sookie!" He rose up on his elbow, catching her eyes with his.

"I know!" She moaned. "It wasn't very often…"

"Sook," Eric sighed, "how did he talk you into it?"

She sat up and they found themselves leaning against the wall again. "I was being dumb, I guess."

"Come on, you're not dumb."

"Do you honestly want to know these things?" She brushed the hairs on his bent knee with her nails.

He squeezed her. "Yes."

"It happened slowly. I was always really firm about it at first. No condom, no sex." Sookie sighed, nearly shuddering at the idea of being so intimate with someone who was so cruel. "Then sometimes we would get carried away and start without one, and then stop a little later and put one on."

"You realize you can get pregnant just from the pre-cum, right?"

She nodded. "I know. Then there were times when he didn't have a condom at all and I would let him talk me into it, just as long as he, you know…"

"Pulled out?" He whispered for her, sounding almost like his heart was breaking.

"Yes." The more she opened up to him about her relationship with Alcide, the more she felt like a fool. "It's my own damn fault."

Eric hunched over her, cradling her in his arms, brushing her hair from her face. "No, it's not, Sook. It's just as much his fault, if not more so."

"Why?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, because he is older for one thing, and you weren't his first. He's had enough sex to know better than that."

"It felt good." She said so softly he almost didn't catch it.

"Sex? Or not using a condomn?"

"Both." She felt ashamed by her answer.

"It's not worth the risks, Sook." He tilted her face so he could see her blue eyes, swimming with tears.

"I know." Her chin trembled as she gazed at him, trying to understand all of the emotions in his eyes. "If I could go back and do things over, I would."

"I'm sorry, Sook." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

She wiped the tears away. "For what?"

"For everything." He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He looked angry.

She turned around in his embrace, kneeling between his legs, forcing him to look at her. "Eric, how is any of this your fault?"

"If I hadn't been such a jerk after homecoming…" He began and she quickly covered his mouth with her hand.

"You weren't a jerk. You were confused and so was I. None of this is your fault."

He regarded her quietly, since her hand still rested on his lips. Sighing, he nodded slightly, letting her believe he accepted her claim, even though inside he knew she was wrong.

She sat back on her heels and removed her hand, offering him a half-smile and stroking his hair with her fingers.

"Let's go to sleep, Sook. You've had a really rough couple of days." He slid down onto his side of the bed.

He sounded tired, so she just nodded. She nestled into his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist, contemplating everything he said to her.

"I love you too, Eric." She whispered before she drifted off. She felt his body tense and then slowly relax and he placed a kiss on her forehead as she slipped away.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hey, everyone! Thank you so much for all of the lovely reviews. I hope you are enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying writing these two! Chapter 10 is up on my blog if you would like to read on. XO

Chapter 9

"Sookie! Sookie, wake the fuck up!" Jason was jostling the side of the bed.

She groaned and rolled away from Eric, who could sleep through anything. "What do you want, Jason? What time is it?"

"It's a little after 5." He kneeled down on the floor by her bed.

"Jason, come on, I'm tired. What's so important?" She yawned, keeping her eyes closed.

"Are you fucking pregnant?" Jason's voice was harsh in her ear, angry.

Her eyes flew open. "Where did you hear that?"

"A bunch of the guys from the team started texting me after you guys left the party tonight. They're calling you a whore, Sook! Did you fuck Eric while you were with Alcide?" Jason's eyes blazed.

She sat up in the bed and glared at him. "I most certainly did _not_! You didn't stand up for me?"

"Of course I did." He held up his bloodied knuckles. "What the fuck is going on, Sook?"

"You can't tell anyone, Jason. You have to promise me." She begged him.

"I can promise I won't tell for now. What happened?"

"Alcide got me pregnant." She whispered.

"That mother fucker!" Jason jumped up, his voice loud enough to wake Eric who sat up quickly in bed.

"Shhh! You will wake Mama and Daddy!" Sookie pleaded. "Please, Jason! I'm not ready to tell them yet!"

Jason took a deep breath and settled back down on the floor, eyeballing Eric. "Is that why you beat the shit out of Alcide the other night?"

"One of the reasons, yeah." Eric acknowledged, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Are you fucking my sister?"

Sookie smacked him upside the head. "Jason Stackhouse, don't you talk about me that way!"

Eric sighed. "No, I am not."

"Then why in the hell did you tell everyone it's your baby?" Jason shook his head. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

"Jason, you weren't there tonight. You wouldn't believe the shit that went down even if I told you. It was bad. Alcide says it's not his, girls were calling Sook a slut, it was a big fucking mess." Eric ran his hands through his hair. "I did what I thought was best."

"By making everyone think Sook cheated on Alcide?" Jason was baffled.

"No, by making them think she never slept with Alcide." Eric responded. "Everyone knows how Alcide likes to brag and tell stories. There's a good chance half the people there will think he was lying."

"Then why would you claim the baby as yours?"

Eric shook his head. "Jason, she's pregnant. Someone has to be the father. I'd rather everyone think it was me than that dick-head."

Jason whistled. "My Dad is going to kill you." He chuckled a bit. "This should be interesting."

"No, he's not." Sookie jumped in. "We will tell Mama and Daddy the truth."

"We will?" Eric was surprised. "Are you sure?"

She nodded firmly. "Yes. I don't want them hatin' you for something that you didn't do."

"Good point, Sook. Maybe Dad will go after Alcide with his shotgun after all." Jason looked gleeful.

"Jason, I need you to promise you'll keep your trap shut until I'm ready to tell them. It won't be long, but I have to figure some stuff out first." She looked him dead in the eye, to make sure it was registering in his brain.

"I promise, Sook." He agreed. "We only have a week and a half left before graduation. If anybody says anything to me about you, I will take care of it."

"You and me both." Eric added, pulling the sheet up over his shoulders as he stretched back out and yawned.

"No! No more fighting. None. You can defend me with words, but please, no more fists. I don't need either of you getting suspended or kicked out of school. You can't risk college for this." She looked between the two of them, making sure they understood how serious she was. "Promise me."

Jason nodded glumly. She knew he enjoyed a good fight.

She turned to Eric and he shrugged. "I all ready gave you my word."

"All right then. Now, Jason, get to bed before they wake up; you're way past your curfew."

"Night, sis. I sure am sorry about everything." Jason's concerned showed on his face and she was touched when he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "You're a good girl, Sook. I love you."

"You too, Jason. Don't close the door behind you." She called quietly after him.

Sookie snuggled back down into the bed, her head resting on Eric's chest. "What a mess."

"I'm afraid things are going to get worse before they get better, Sookie."

"I know. They will get better eventually, right?"

He hugged her tight. "They will."

OoOoO

The next day before Eric went home, Sookie showed him the color of her prom dress so he could get a matching tie.

"Try it on for me, Sook." He pleaded as she tucked the skirt back into the closet carefully.

She rolled her eyes at him and curled up on her bed. "Do I look like I feel up to that?" Her stomach was so upset the idea of even standing upright made it revolt.

He sat down carefully on the bed next to her and brushed her messy hair back from her face. "No, you still look pretty green."

Her parents were at church, Jason was still asleep and Sookie and Eric had a pretty low-key morning, with the exception of the vomiting.

"Like Kermit?" She cracked a small smile as he lightly rubbed her tummy.

"Nah, you're much cuter than Kermit."

"Well, duh!" She responded as he stood up, slipped out of his basketball shorts and into his clothes from the night before. "Easy there! I don't want to see the goods!" Her eyes covered.

He laughed. "I have boxers on, Sook. My shorts are on now."

She rolled her eyes. "Such an exhibitionist."

"That's me!" He pulled his shirt over his head, hair sticking up all over and grabbed his keys and phone. "I'll pick you up in the morning?"

Despite feeling as poorly as she did, she bit back a laugh. "Eric, you need to do something with that hair of yours before you go anywhere."

He looked in the mirror and ran his hands through it a couple of times. It didn't make much of a difference. "So tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Yes, tomorrow."

"Okay, so I'll pick you up at 7 and then after school we go to the clinic?" He leaned back against the dresser, bracing his hands on the smooth wood.

"Yeah. I'll call the clinic in Monroe and see if we need an appointment. I don't want to risk going to the one here."

"Sounds like a smart idea. How many finals do you have this week?"

"Just two, English and History." She curled up around her pillow, wishing the nausea would pass. "You?"

"Chemistry and Trig."

"Why are you so smart?" She grinned at him.

"You're smart, too."

Sookie shook her head. "Not like you are."

"I want to be an architect. I guess since I have a goal in mind it makes me want to try harder." He played with the rubber band that was lying on her dresser.

"Makes sense. You better be careful with that, you're gonna break it." She scolded.

"Nah, I –ah! Ow! Dammit!" He swore as it snapped and popped him on his cheek.

They both laughed as he rubbed it gingerly.

"Go ahead and say it!" She teased.

"What"? He grumbled.

"You know what!"

Eric sighed. "You were right."

"And don't you forget it, buddy!" She giggled.

"All right, Sook, I'm gonna head home, do some homework." He stood awkwardly in her doorway.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then."

He looked at her for a long moment and nodded. "When are we telling your parents?"

"I want to wait until after prom. I'd like just one more normal event before everything changes. I doubt I'll be going to senior prom next year."

"Why not?"

"Who's going to want to take me? I'll be a mom." She rolled her eyes.

"If you want to go, we'll go."

"What's all of this 'we' stuff all of the sudden, Eric?" She sat up to look at him.

His face flushed. "I all ready told you. You're not going to be in this alone, you're my best friend."

She laughed, a little bit confused. "What, you want to help me raise the baby?"

"I don't know, Sook. We have a lot to think about it. It just happened. Why, are you going to keep it?" He walked over to the bed, resting his hand softly on her shoulder.

"I don't think I could give it up, Eric." She whispered, tears filling her eyes as she looked up into his face.

He cupped her cheek with his large hand, his thumb brushing her tears. "If you are 100% certain that you want to keep this baby, I support you."

"Even though it isn't yours?"

"Even though it isn't mine." He cleared his throat and pushed back the feeling of hurt that was welling up inside of him. He quickly kissed her on the forehead. "Gotta go, Sook. Don't worry about things for now. We'll deal with it more tomorrow."

"Bye, Eric." She heard his sneakers thump down the stairs. She snuggled back into her bed and let her eyes close. She was drained, both from the stress of the last few days and vomiting. She hoped it stopped soon.

She slipped into a fitful sleep, dreaming of Eric, Alcide and the baby. Eric kept trying to pick up the baby but Alcide wouldn't let him. In her dream she was crying and Alcide was taunting her. Finally she was able to take the baby into her arms and Alcide left. She turned to Eric to let him hold the baby finally and he moved away from them. "That's not my baby, Sook. You betrayed me. How could you do this to me? How could you have a baby with someone else?" Then he walked out and shut the door behind him.

She woke a few hours later in a cold sweat, her heart pounding. She grabbed her phone and texted Eric.

_S: Did you mean what you said? You will be here for me no matter what? No matter what anyone says or does?_

_E: Of course I meant it. You know I don't say things I don't mean. Why? What happened?_

_S: Just a bad dream. _

_E: You want to tell me about it?_

_S: The basics were you told me the baby wasn't yours and you left us after you told me how much I hurt you._

_E: _

_E: Sook, I don't know what's going to happen with us. I'm committing to you as your friend and someone who's known you your whole life. _

_E: Would I like there to be more? Before all of this, yes, I wanted it more than anything._

_E: Things have changed now and it's very confusing._

_S: I understand. _

_E: No, I don't know if you do. Last night in the car, I wanted it to be more. But I just don't know if I can do that. _

_E: Hell, you just broke up with Alcide, you're nowhere near ready for another relationship._

_S: I know. I guess, I just want to know that no matter what we'll always at least have this._

_E: What we have now?_

_S: Yes._

_E: That's never gonna change, Sook. _

_S: Okay. Well, I'll see you in the morning then._

_E: All right. Give everything time. Things will get better._

_S: K._

_E: Don't 'K' me, Stackhouse. I promise you. I'm not going anywhere._

Eric had known her for long enough to know if she said or typed 'K' she was unhappy or worried.

_S: You know me so well. Okay then. I believe you. See you in the morning. _

_E: Bye, Sook. _

She sighed and reached for her History book. She felt like she had the information down, but figured she might use what was left of the day for studying, since she didn't feel well enough to do anything else.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Hey, everyone! Sorry for the terrible delay in updating! Real life has been crazy and I have been down with a stomach bug the last few days. I am so sorry to keep you all hanging. Remember you can always check out my blog, which is usually at least a chapter ahead, for updates and notes from me. Also, the homecoming outtake is _only_ going to be available on my blog- believe me, you don't want to miss this! Anyways, all mistakes are mine, because even are miraculous as my beta Jaxgny is, even she can't catch every weird thing I do. LOL

Chapter 10

The next day at school passed quickly. Sookie and Eric only took one period together, study hall; otherwise they saw one another in the halls. He quietly confirmed with her in passing that she called the clinic in Monroe and they were driving there after school.

Even though the day moved fast, it was difficult for her. The whispers from the students and people staring at her in class made her self-conscious. Thankfully she spent most of her day flagged on either side by Amelia and Tara; they were just itching for someone to say something so they could defend their best friend. Although the girls drifted apart off and on through the years, when it mattered they could count on one another.

Alcide stayed completely out of the way, which was a relief to Sookie. She didn't see Dawn or Maudette either, so it was assumed they were participating in the senior skip days. She didn't want a confrontation like the other night. Being the last full week of school there was one period after lunch, which was study hall for Sookie.

The bell rang and she shoved her homework into her bag. Eric was finishing an equation he was working on, his neat handwriting flowing smoothly across the page. He paused, checking his calculations for a moment and then carefully put everything away.

"Are you ready?" He looked up to see gnawing on her cheek and it made him want to comfort her.

"As ready as I'm gonna be." She answered as he stood up.

Eric reached for her bag, heavy with books.

"I can carry it." She smiled, shaking her head as he tried to slide it off her shoulder.

"I know you can." He combed his fingers through the hair that hung smoothly down her back. "I'd like to carry it for you."

She laughed at him, rolling her eyes. "Oh boy, here we go." She let him pull it off her back and he easily swing it onto his.

"Here we go, what?" He grinned, slipping his arm around her shoulders as they ambled out to his car.

It felt safe and comforting, him touching her like that. She wondered if he was doing it to keep up the charade with their classmates, or if there was something more behind it. His smell surrounded her and she breathed in deeply. "You're gonna get over-protective and before I know it you won't even let me lift a pencil." She poked him in the side and he squirmed, biting back a laugh. She knew his ticklish spots too well.

"Not at all. I'm sure the doctor will say pencils are okay." He smirked, letting her into the car and dashing around to his side.

She sighed, slipping on her sunglasses and rolling down the window. The weather was perfect and she intended to enjoy it as much as she could before she started getting a tummy. "I'm going to miss tanning."

"What's the difference with you tanning now from before?" Eric turned the radio to her favorite station.

She laughed so hard she snorted, causing him to start laughing as well. "Umm…no one is going to want to see me in a bikini, Eric! There's no way I'm getting one of those maternity bathing suits!"

He shrugged and teased, "I bet you'd look really cute all tan in a bikini with your baby bump."

"You're just hoping my boobs will get really big." She accused with a smile and his cheeks darkened in color.

"Me? Nah!" He scoffed and increased the volume on the radio. They sat in comfortable silence for the duration of their drive.

OoOoO

Sookie filled out the paperwork that was handed to her by the receptionist when she signed in. It was pages of very personal questions about her period, her sexual history, and how many sexual partners, whether she had any STI's, prior pregnancies, abortions or if she suspected she was pregnant. She swallowed hard when she checked the yes box on the last one.

Eric sat quietly next to her, his arm around her shoulders, offering what little support he could. His fingers absent-mindedly trailed up and down her arm. She finished the forms and sat with her hands folded on the clipboard. There were several pregnant girls in the waiting room and Eric couldn't help but stare. He couldn't imagine Sookie looking as uncomfortable and…well, huge as these other girls. There were other girls scattered around the room; some alone, some with friends, some with what he assumed were boyfriends. He looked at Sookie and wondered what they looked like to everyone else. Probably just a young couple coming in for birth control, he thought.

The door to the back swung open and a woman called her name. "Sookie Stackhouse?"

Sookie stood up and was surprised when Eric followed her. "You don't have to come."

"I want to." He swallowed nervously as his eyes held hers.

"It might be uncomfortable." Embarrassed, her heart thudded in her chest.

He nodded. "I know, but I have a feeling this will be the least uncomfortable thing we're going to experience together in the next 9 months or so."

"Good point." She started walking and he took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. They followed the woman down the hall and were directed to a room.

"My name is Jacki and I'm a physician's assistant. I'm going to ask you some questions, get a urine sample and do your exam today." Jacki gave them a friendly smile and took a seat at the stool by the counter. "Sookie, why don't you go ahead and hop up on the table. Young man, you can either take a seat in the chair by the wall or you can stand up by Sookie's head."

Sookie grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards her. The chair was facing the end of the exam table. "He can stay right up here."

Eric gulped as he took in the table with the weird looking metal arms at the end of the bed, wondering what in the hell they were for. He felt himself prickle with sweat.

"Okay, Sookie, I'm just going over your history. When we're done you can give me a urine sample and then I'll have you change into a gown so we can do the pelvic exam." Jacki's voice was pleasant voice and almost immediately put Sookie at ease. Her blue eyes were friendly and she had a light dusting of freckles over her nose and cheeks, otherwise her pale skin was flawless.

"All right." Sookie said barely above a whisper.

"So, you are 17, looks like you will be 18 in July?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay, one sexual partner, no history of STIs, no abortions, no prior pregnancies…ah, okay." Jacki patted Sookie gently on the hand. "So we need to do a pregnancy test for you today, sweetie?"

Sookie nodded. "I've taken several home tests and they've all been positive."

Jacki smiled up at Eric towering over the two of them, his ears pink. "And you're the boyfriend?"

"No, ma'am." Eric responded quietly and cleared his throat to speak louder. "I'm Sookie's best friend, Eric."

"You're a good friend, Eric." Jacki nodded at him, putting him a bit more at ease.

Sookie's hand became sweaty in his own but he just held it tightly.

"Okay, sweetie, almost done. When was your last menstruation?"

"Umm…" Sookie scrunched her forehead while she thought. "I believe it was the second week of April."

"Mmmhmmm…and were you having unprotected sex?"

She felt ashamed, answering barely above a whisper. "Sometimes."

Jacki jotted that down. She stood up and took Sookie's blood pressure, her temperature and listened to her heart. After she checked her oxygen level she asked Sookie to stand on the scale and then she measured her height. "All right, hon. I'm going to need you to give me a urine sample in the cup and leave it on the little shelf in the bathroom across the hallway. When you're done come back here and change into this gown, I'll need you to take everything else off."

Sookie nodded and took the cup from Jacki, which had her last name scrawled in black. This was it. Even though she knew in her head she was pregnant, this was going to make it official. She slid down off the table and padded across the hallway to the bathroom. Reading the instructions on the wall she did as directed to give a "clean sample".

When she was done she washed up and caught a look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were wide and scared. She took a deep breath and leaned against the sink, pushing down the fear in her stomach.

_Everything's going to be okay, _she whispered to herself. _The exam might hurt a little but it won't be anything like…it won't be bad. It's not a bad thing. The bad things don't happen anymore. _Closing her eyes, she tried to steady her breathing. She was on the border of making herself hyperventilate. _It's okay, Sookie, _she went on. _Everything is okay. Eric is here. You're safe. _The word "safe" echoed in her head until she stood up straight, put her shoulders back and walked across the hall to the exam room, shutting the door behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hi, guys! I haven't been updating the story because I have been a little bummed by the lack of reviews. :o( Its hard when a chapter receives hundreds upon hundreds of hits and only a few people comment. I have up to chapter 15, but I am wondering if I should even continue the story? If you are enjoying the store and would like to read more, please let me know! If you aren't enjoying it, please also take a moment to let me know why and I will work on it. To get better as a writer, we all need constructive feedback.

Are you interested in reading the Homecoming Outtake, which is a flashback to when Sookie and Eric went to the dance together? It is currently on my blog, I will not be posting it here! Address is on my profile. There is some citrus, so check it out! Thanks, guys! And have a Happy Halloween!

Chapter 11

Eric was sitting in a chair at the head of the table, as pale as a ghost.

"Are you okay?" She asked, pulling her tank top over her head.

He nodded slowly. "Don't worry about me. I'll be okay. I just can't believe we're sitting here."

She slipped the gown on and went to stand in front of him so he could tie up the back for her. "You and me both." She responded grimly. She turned to face him and slipped off the rest of her clothes from under the gown, keeping herself covered.

Hopping up onto the table the paper crinkled under her. She laid down and waited. Wondering if Jacki would know what happened in the past by examining her, she exhaled slowly and said a prayer that she wouldn't.

"What's a pelvic?" Eric asked, his voice a little shaky.

"I actually haven't had one before." She admitted, a little unsure herself, her eyes still teary. "But I know it's where they check inside you."

His mouth dropped open. "_Inside_ inside? Like up _there_?"

Sookie nodded, trying to smile a little to ease their tension. "Yup."

"Shit." He swallowed loudly as there was a knock at the door.

"Are we ready?" Jacki called from the other side.

"Yes, ma'am." Sookie called back and Jackie let herself in.

Eric and Sookie watched as Jackie wheeled a little tray over to the foot of the exam table and then uncovered it. Resting on top were some instruments that neither of them had seen before. She slipped on some gloves and sat down on the stool.

"Now Sookie, have you ever had a pelvic exam before?"

Sookie shook her head. "I'm a little scared."

Jacki patted her leg reassuringly. "It's okay to be scared, but it's really nothing to be scared of. They don't really hurt, mostly they are just a little uncomfortable. What we are going to do today is do an STI screening, a regular check up and check for changes that would indicate you are pregnant. When we are done, I will get the results from the urine test."

"Okay."

"Now, Sookie, what I need you to do is slide your bottom all the way down to the very edge of this table and rest your feet in these stirrups." Jackie pulled the stirrups out to the right position.

Sookie placed her feet onto the cold metal and cringed, keeping her knees pressed close together. She felt so exposed and tried to keep herself covered with her gown. She was so embarrassed. She turned her head to look at Eric. He squeezed her hand tightly.

Jacki quietly explained to Sookie what she would be doing.

Sookie just nodded as Eric slumped even lower in his chair. He rested his head on the side of her pillow.

"You okay over there, Eric?" Jacki asked, trying not to smile.

"Mmhmm." He responded weakly.

"Good thing I haven't explained to him how we test men for STIs." Jacki winked at Sookie. "It's a little more…invasive."

Eric's eyes widened.

"Let's get started."

Sookie took a deep breath and turned her head to look into Eric's eyes, desperately trying to relax her legs as Jacki instructed.

"That's not so bad." She whispered to Eric and his face regained a little color.

She kept her eyes trained on his through out the exam, all the while Jacki explained what she was doing as she went along. He patted the tears off her cheeks.

"All right, honey, we're all done." Jacki snapped off her gloves and Sookie relaxed, quickly closing her legs.

"Are you okay? Did it hurt?" Eric asked quickly, concern etched across his face.

"It really wasn't that bad." Sookie responded feeling some relief that she hadn't been asked any questions. "I thought it would be much worse."

"I can't stress how important pelvic exams are, Sookie, especially once you become sexually active. Even if you are careful, there are some STIs that are transmitted very easily, such as HPV. Men are often the carrier of this virus and they usually do not have any signs of it whatsoever. There is also no test to determine if a man has the virus." Jacki made notes in her chart and began to dispose of the equipment she used and labeled her samples. "I would highly recommend that you both consider taking Gardisal, which is a drug that prevents HPV. It comes in the form of a shot that is given 3 times every six months."

"Is that something I can take if I am pregnant?" Sookie asked sitting up carefully on the table. She felt Eric's hand go to her back, stroking it soothingly.

"No." Jacki responded. "That would be unsafe for the baby. It's something we would discuss later. Now if you would like to get dressed, I'm going to get your results and will be right back."

Sookie turned to Eric, who was holding her clothing. She took the towel Jacki had left her to clean up with before sliding them on. Eric untied her gown and she slipped her tank top back on, dropping her used items in the designated bins. "Wow."

He nodded in agreement. "Wow."

They sat there for a moment, side by side in the chairs, Eric grasping her hand like he was a drowning man. "Are you okay?"

Sookie shook her head, not meeting his eyes. She stared at the ceiling, willing the tears back. Even as she fought against them, they began to run over. She bit back a sob and her shoulders shook.

"Hey." He said soothingly, wrapping his arms around her. "Come here." She cried into his shirt as he touched her hair, waiting for Jacki to come back.

The door opened and they both looked up. From the look on Jackis' face, they knew. "Well, Sookie, it looks like your test confirms what I suspected from your pelvic. You are indeed pregnant. Based on your last menstrual cycle…" She paused to look at the calendar. "Today is June 4th…I would guess you are about 5-6 weeks pregnant."

She buried her face into Eric's neck as she continued to cry. She was nearly inconsolable and all he could do was hold her. Jacki looked at them sympathetically as she waited for Sookie to regain some form of control.

When she had slowed down to the occasional sob and gasp, Sookie met Jacki's eyes and nodded, accepting her news.

"You know you do have plenty of options. I have some pamphlets here for you."

Sookie shook her head. "No, I've all ready decided what I want to do. I'd like to keep it. I'm going to be 18 soon, so I can make that decision as an adult."

"All right. I'm not going to push you in any direction, but since you are still in high school, I would hope you would at least consider your other options." Jacki said softly, still holding the pamphlets.

"I'll take them but I am pretty sure." Sookie stood up and tucked them into her purse.

Eric cleared his throat. "Ummm…Jacki? How would I go about getting tested? And I think I would like to have that shot, too."

Sookie looked at Eric in surprise, her stomach clenching. He never told her he had lost his virginity. He didn't meet her eyes, just waited for Jacki to respond.

"We can make an appointment for you to come back Eric, or if you like, we can do it right now. Sookie is the last appointment I am taking today, I would be happy to take care of you really quick."

"You sure?" He asked and raised his eyebrows at Sookie to see if she minded waiting. She shook her head.

"Not at all. You won't need to change into a gown, but Sookie, you might want to wait in the waiting room." Jacki suggested.

Panic crossed Eric's face for a moment, but he pushed it away. If Sookie could go through what she just did, he could handle whatever it was the physician's assistant was going to do to him.

"Okay." Sookie agreed. "Maybe I can fill out his forms?"

"That would be fine. He will need to sign them when we're done, so just hand them to the receptionist and answer whatever you can." Jacki suggested.

"See you in a little bit." Sookie walked down the long hallway and back into the waiting room. When she was done with his paperwork she went to stand outside, needing to breathe in some fresh air. She stared into the empty field next to the clinic, watching the tall grass blow gently in the breeze.

She couldn't even fathom how she was going to tell her parents; if she would tell them together or separately. She knew Eric wanted to be there to support her and she appreciated that deeply. Prom was Friday night and she wanted to tell them by Saturday at the latest. Since she was so close with her Dad, she thought maybe she and Eric would talk to him alone.

She sighed and turned around just as Eric was walking out of the clinic. "Jacki told me to tell you that you need to make an OB appointment for next month or come back to the clinic."

"Thanks," Sookie said softly, following him to the car. "How did it go?"

"I don't wanna talk about it." Eric huffed and they were on the road in a hurry.

"Why?" She asked, surprised.

"Do you know how they test a guy for STIs?" He looked at her, his eyes wide.

"No? A blood test?"

Eric laughed. "I wish. They stick one of those long swabs in your you-know-what!"

Sookie's mouth dropped open. "Inside your…your…penis?"

Eric glanced at her sideways and nodded quickly, his eyes back on the road.

"Oh dear." Sookie was horrified. She couldn't even imagine how that would feel. "Did it hurt?"

"What do you think?" Eric was thoroughly traumatized and Sookie wanted to laugh just from the sheer look of horror on his face.

"All righty then. You hungry?"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Eric coasted into Sonic and stopped at one of the carhop stations. "Do you know what you want, Sook?"

She leaned around him to glance at the menu, even though she always ordered the same thing. "I will have a large cherry-limeade and a Chicago dog."

"Fries or tots?"

"Mmm, they both sound good. I think I want tots." She tapped her chin while her stomach grumbled. It wasn't quite dinnertime but she hadn't eaten much at lunch.

He placed their orders while she giggled under her breath at the amount of food he ordered.

"Feeding an army?" She asked with a smile, glad to be able to relax with him after her doctor's appointment.

"If we're considered an army!" He grinned and settled back into his seat, appraising her.

"What?"

He shrugged his shoulders and brushed his hair off his forehead. "Nothing really. Everything just became pretty real."

"I know. Imagine what it'll be like when we hear a heartbeat." She reached over and held his hand, squeezing it. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for what you're doing."

He kissed the back of her hand. "You don't need to thank me, Sook. You'd do it for me." He pulled her along the bench seat until she was settled into the crook of his arm.

"Of course, I'd be happy to watch you give birth to a baby!" She giggled, her petite frame shaking his chest.

"So funny, Stackhouse." He groaned. "Seriously, though. Today was pretty…intense. And kinda scary. Are you okay?"

"Honestly, I haven't processed it yet. I'm just trying to get through the week and telling Daddy."

"Your Mama, too." He added.

"Nah, I think I will let Daddy do that. She won't kill _him_." Sookie slid her arm around Eric's stomach, giving him a good squeeze. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"When did you…I mean- I didn't know that you…um…" She sighed heavily, struggling to get her words out.

"When did I have sex?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Not too long after you started seeing Alcide." He admitted quietly.

"Oh." She thought over what he had said, wondering if he had done it because she was dating Alcide. "Anyone I know?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "You sure you want the details?"

"I think so."

"It was Stacy Summers."

"Your 9th grade girlfriend?" Sookie sat up, surprised. Eric dated Stacy briefly their freshman year. Sookie didn't care for her much, mainly because Stacy was mean to her.

"Yep."

They were interrupted when their food was delivered. Eric took a big bite of his burger, probably so he wouldn't have to answer any more questions. Sookie thoughtfully nibbled on her tots, not as hungry as she had been. "Are you guys back together?"

"No! No, it was just something that happened."

"Did it happen a lot?"

He paused before he took another bite, weighing his words. "Yeah, for awhile it did." He looked at her, curious. "What is it you are getting at, Sookie?"

"I don't know. I…I guess after homecoming, I kind of thought that we were going to be one another's firsts." Her cheeks flushed red, unable to meet his eyes.

"Yeah, so did I. But even if I hadn't slept with Stacy that wouldn't have been the case, would it?" His voice changed like it did when something was bothering him.

She put down her food and leaned forward, burying her face in her hands. "Everything's so messed up, Eric. Nothing was supposed to be like this." She fought back the tears as they welled up in her eyes.

"No, it wasn't." He responded around the bite he was finishing. "But things don't always go the way we want them to."

"Don't I know it!" She rubbed her stomach. "I'm just a kid, Eric! And so are you! How am I supposed to do this? What am I supposed to do?" Her voice rose with every word.

"Sook, getting upset isn't going to help you, or the baby." He scooted towards her and rubbed her back.

"I'm mad, Eric! I'm really mad! Why aren't you mad?" Sookie's pitch was just short of shouting and she was glad he parked towards the back.

"Who says I'm not mad?" Eric asked as he forced her to look him in the face, his eyes blazing. "Do you have any idea how it felt when you started dating him, knowing what kind of guy he was? Knowing that he took something from you that –"

"That what, Eric?" She tugged on his hand. "What?"

"That was almost mine." He gazed into the distance and ran his fingers roughly through his hair.

"I didn't do this on purpose. I didn't date him to hurt you. After homecoming I was so confused and you backed off so much, I didn't know what to think."

"I know."

"You promised me that things would go back to normal in a few days and they didn't! You refused to even talk to me. You abandoned me!" She remembered how much it hurt as she felt Eric grow distant from her.

"I thought they would. I didn't know it would take so long and by the time I felt like I could talk to you about it…"

"I was with Alcide." She finished for him. "Maybe you shouldn't have taken so long."

"Hey! Don't blame this all on me! You have a part in this, too." His voice went up a notch and she could see his hand gripping his thigh.

"I know."

"Do you really think there wasn't a fucking day that went by where I didn't hate myself for taking so long?" He balled up what was left of his food and threw it in the trash outside his window. His eyes glistened.

"Eric." Sookie rested her hand on his clenched one, trying to get him to calm down.

"What did I do wrong, Sookie?" His jaw clenched. "Will you please just tell me what I did wrong that night?"

She moved so she was facing him, both hands on his. "Eric, I swear to you, you did nothing wrong."

"Stacy didn't have any complaints." He mumbled, refusing to meet her eyes.

Sookie recoiled as if he had slapped her in the face. She knew he was lashing out because he was hurt, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Take me home, Eric." She threw the rest of her food away and fastened her seat belt.

"Fuck! Sookie, I'm sorry." He took her hand but she pulled it away. "I should've never said that. I didn't mean it."

"Please. It's been a long day." She said quietly, leaning against the door her head resting in her hand.

Eric started the car and turned on the radio. They both tensed as the song that played the night of the dance came on. Sookie was determined not to speak before he did. The day had been hot and long, she was worn out.

She felt his hand reach across the seat and hold hers again once they were on the main road home. This time she didn't pull away and he entwined her fingers with hers. His thumb traced circles on the inside of her palm and she relaxed minutely.

It was seven when they got home and they both needed to finish studying for finals. Eric put the car in neutral, reminiscent of that night so many months ago. He cleared his throat and she knew he was going to ask her again.

"What happened that night, Sook?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

Try as she might, she couldn't look away. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"Eric, I can't talk about it."

"Did you not want me that way?"

She brought her knee up onto the seat, turning towards him so she could see his face clearly while they talked. "Eric, I wanted you more than anything."

He picked at a piece of fuzz on his shorts. "More than Alcide?"

"More than Alcide." She picked up his hand that still held hers and placed a soft kiss on it.

"Then why did we stop? I mean, besides the obvious." His face was nearly stricken with his confusion.

"I'm not ready to talk about it."

"Any of it? Was it just one thing or a bunch of things? Did I hurt you? Was I rough?" His voice cracked and it hit her in the pit of her stomach. For as tough and strong and capable as Eric was, she realized she made him vulnerable.

She slid her arms around him, holding him close. He hugged her in return and sighed shakily. She whispered against his neck. "You, Eric, were perfect. You were soft, gentle and slow. I was scared of what things would be like, if we would still feel the same way about one another."

He turned to her ear and murmured. "Nothing and everything would have changed that night, Sookie. It wasn't something to be scared of."

She squeezed him again, letting his words sink in. "That wasn't the only reason."

"I know." He felt sure if they continued speaking softly, holding one another close that maybe she would be ready to tell him.

Sookie shuddered and shook her head, letting her face hide in his neck. "I'm not ready to tell you yet." She whispered.

Eric felt her tears on his neck and he fought back his frustration. Combing his fingers through her hair he nodded.

"I will tell you soon. I owe this to you." She sniffed and he tightened his grip when she shook again. "I'm trying. I promise I'll tell you soon. Just don't go away again."

He lifted up and settled her in his lap, marveling at how small she was. His hands could easily touch his opposite elbows when he held her like this. He wondered what it would be like when she started to change. "You have my word. I'm not going anywhere. Ever."

"I don't know if I am ready for an us, Eric. So much has happened in such a short amount of time, I can barely keep up with the changes."

He shrugged in response. "Whether there is an us or not, I'm still here."

"Okay." She settled against his chest as he loosened his hold a bit. They sat there in silence, thinking about everything that had been said between them, knowing there was plenty left unsaid. Eric held her until the sun set in the sky and with that simple gesture she understood what he had been trying to tell her.

A/N: Hi, guys! Thank you SO MUCH for the amazing feedback with this last chapter. Seriously, you guys really inspired me to write more. It really meant so much to me!

Please also keep in your thoughts and prayers the Sandy storm victims; my dear beta Jax is currently without power and our friend fffbone is also in just a mess. There are so many people suffering from this storm and they need all of the love and support we can send them.

Are you interested in reading the Homecoming Outtake, which is a flashback to when Sookie and Eric went to the dance together? It is currently on my blog, I will not be posting it here! Address is on my profile. There is some citrus, so check it out! Thanks, guys!


	13. Homecoming Outtake

**A/N: There seemed to be some confusion about what happened with Eric and Sookie in the past so I am going to go ahead and post the homecoming outtake here, although it has been posted on my blog for about a month. This in theory should have been read before chapter 12, but it really doesn't make a difference in what order it is viewed. The last update had some mixed reviews! Some are really upset with Eric and are concerned whether he will ever accept the baby. Others have been really upset with Sookie for not sharing with him what exactly it was that stopped her from being romantic with him when they went to the dance at the beginning of the school year. Hopefully reading the outtake below will eliminate some confusion, although I personally don't think Eric has done anything but be really sweet and supportive of Sookie through all of this. He has really put himself out there, claiming this child as his, at such a young age, with no guarantee that he will receive anything in return from Sookie. I think he has been very brave. Poor kid. :o(**

_**Homecoming Dance 2010**_

Eric and Sookie were dancing together to a slow song, her head snug under his chin. The chemistry between them that night was palpable. Every time they touched one another their skin seemed to tingle from the contact. She shivered when his fingertips trailed along her bare back and she felt his breath warm against her ear.

"Do you want to go?" He leaned down to place a kiss on her neck.

Sookie pulled back to see his face, to be sure of what he was asking. She nodded.

He brushed his soft lips against hers, before taking her hand and leading them out of the dance.

A short time later they found themselves parked underneath the stars in one of Old Man Wheeler's backfields. He had about 40 acres, most of the fences in disrepair and there was one quiet spot, far from the road and the neighboring home that she and Eric liked to visit. A creek rushed through the middle of it and during the summer it was shaded by trees so old and big you couldn't even wrap your arms around the trunks. At night, with a blanket thrown into the grass it was as close as you could get to heaven around there.

Eric left his radio playing in the background as he spread out the huge blanket he kept in his trunk. Over the last year he and Sookie had made use of it a couple of times. They never went too far, in awe of one another's changing bodies and how it felt being so close together.

Sookie stepped out of her heels and lay down on the blanket, staring up into the night sky above her. She let out a soft sigh. It had been the perfect night. She watched as Eric carefully took off his boutiner and tie, setting them inside the car. He adjusted the volume and flipped through his iPod. Soon the sounds of Adele played softly in the background.

"You have Adele on your iPod? Since when?" She leaned up on her elbows to see him grinning by the car.

"Since a few nights ago." He kicked off his dress shoes and undid his first couple shirt buttons before sitting down next to her.

"But you hate her."

"No, I don't hate her. I just said The Cure did a better version of 'Love Song'." He tugged off his socks.

"I love that song by her." She said sincerely, shaking her head.

"I know you do." He stretched out next to her, adjusting the volume from the tiny remote he held in his hand.

"Thanks for playing her for me." She pecked him on the cheek.

"Of course."

They lay there listening to the music and watching the night sky. Eric's hand reached for hers and he held it tight. His hand was a little clammy, but she didn't mind. When "Rolling in the Deep" ended, he must have skipped forward because "Love Song" came on next. Her heart stomach turned with both excitement and a hint of fear.

_Whenever I'm alone with you_

_You make me feel like I am home again_

"Sookie?" His voice seemed uncertain.

_Whenever I'm alone with you_

_You make me feel whole again_

"Hmm?" She turned her head to look at him, only to see he was no further then a tilt of her head away. The words of her favorite song washed over her and she knew it wasn't a coincidence that it was playing now.

"Are you sure about this?" Eric swallowed nervously and she watched his adams apple bob in the dark.

"Yes." She breathed out and he slowly leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. It was soft, sweet and innocent. Even though they had kissed this way a million times, it felt so different. Reaching her around his neck, she stroked the hair at the base of his neck, relishing in its silkiness. He smelled wonderful.

_However far away_

_I will always love you_

Eric carefully stretched his body over hers while they kissed, holding his weight on his arms. He sighed against her mouth as she opened just enough for him to taste her with his own tongue. Her hands ran up and down his back, under his shirt, feeling the warm skin there and nestling his body closer to hers.

It was warm and familiar, consuming and exciting. She felt so safe with him. She trusted him with her body, knowing he would never do _anything_ to hurt her. It didn't take long for them to get lost in the moment and soon they were stripped down to their underwear. They had never taken their clothes off before and she watched shyly while he went to get a quilt from the car.

_However long I stay_

_I will always love you_

With a pounding heart she took stock of what was going to happen. The fear welled up inside of her, almost to the point of panic and the forced herself to think. To be calm.

_His hands. His hands aren't like the other hands. His hands are soft and smooth. They're big, but so gentle. His hands have never hurt me. His smell…it's just Eric. He doesn't smell of beer and cigarettes and pot. His body, it's not the same. His body comforts me and protects me, he doesn't cage me. He doesn't hold me down with his body._

Eric kneeled before her, the quilt sitting next to him. He looked sexy in his boxers and she bit her lip. His hand traced along her leg, starting at her foot and slowly working its way up. She trembled as his fingertips approached the edge of her panties.

"Sook?" He frowned slightly, leaning forward, tilting his head in the moonlight and looking at the brown skin around her bikini line. "What's this?"

Her heart caught in her throat and her mouth went dry. _Shit! I hoped he wouldn't notice! I was sure my panties covered it!_ She felt his fingers tracing gently over a small scar, her mind frantically trying to think of something to tell him. "Um." She cleared her throat. "It's a birth mark."

His eyes moved from her face to the scar, smaller than a dime, weighing what she said. "Oh, I never noticed before." He smiled.

"I know my bathing suit usually covers it." She tugged at the edge of her panties. "I'm sorry, I know it's gross."

"Sookie, stop." He moved her fingers away and leaned down very slowly, pressing his warm lips against the mark. "Nothing about you is gross."

_Whatever words I say_

_I will always love you_

_I will always love you_

Her body relaxed as he sat back up, his eyes catching hers. "Come here." She held her arms out, asking him to lay with her. Eric blanketed her body with own, his lips trailing kisses from her shoulder up to her neck. Her hands traced lines up and down his long, lean back, causing him to shudder when her nails dug into his flesh. "Kiss me." She breathed, feeling brave since she made it through the first few hurdles.

Eric's mouth covered hers, his lips teasing and sucking her own. Her tongue touched his and he pushed his hips against hers and they both moaned.

_The smell was Eric. His body felt right, it was familiar. His hands…oh his sweet hands, so gentle. _Sookie thought while he touched her breast. _I can do this, we can do this! It's going to be okay! _

She could feel him hard through his boxers and her hand shook a little as it slid from his back to his front. Grasping him in her palm his body began to tremble.

"Did it feel good, you know…what I did before?" Her voice sounded shy, her eyes on Eric as he trailed his lips along the swells of her breasts.

"It was perfect, Sook. You're perfect." He looked her in the eyes to make sure she could see his sincerity before capturing her lips again.

She slowly stroked him, feeling the warm, velvety flesh grow firmer by the second. As new as this was to her, they only touched one another under their clothes a few times, she couldn't help but enjoy the way it felt, knowing what she was doing to him. His hand drifted away from her breast and slipped down her quivering stomach until it reached her panties.

"Is this okay?" He asked hoarsely, his fingers playing with the lace.

"Yes, I like it when you do that."

It was empowering to know that what they were doing together neither had done with anyone else before. Sure, they had both dated a little the past few years of high school, but neither of them went much further past feeling on top of the clothes. Well, Eric did say he had a hand job from his freshman girlfriend. Although it got the job done, he had been awful worried there were be friction burns on his penis, since she wasn't very gentle.

He slipped a finger carefully inside of her and she cried out against his neck. She felt the panic rising in her, but his smell surrounded her, his mouth whispered sweet words in her ears. It was still Eric. She knew that if she was going to be with anyone, he was the person to be with. His other arm cradled her tightly to him while they both continued to explore one another and shyly rock their bodies together.

Sookie buried a hand in his hair, tugging at it gently and wrapping her fingers up in it. His hair was so soft and always freshly washed; she could spend hours playing with it. She felt him begin to slide her panties down and she tensed for just a moment, since they had never seen one another bare before.

"What is it? Should I stop?" He raised his face to her, trying to read her eyes.

She stroked the side of his face, dipping her finger into the cleft of his chin. She loved to touch his strong jawline. "I'm just a little embarrassed."

"Sookie," his hand stopped and he cupped her face with both of his palms, "you've nothing to be embarrassed about. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Sookie's stomach fluttered in a way that only happened when Eric was near. "You haven't seen all of me, though." She whispered.

"But I want to." He whispered back, his eyes searching hers.

She studied his face, looking again into the eyes of her best friend, the one person she trusted the most in this world. Her lips curved into a slow smile and she nodded. "Okay, can you cover me, though?" She slid her hands into the waistband of his boxers and played with it as he unfolded the quilt and laid it over them.

"Better?" He asked, stroking the side of her face.

"Better." She stretched up to kiss him and his mouth was on hers again, frantic in its exploration. Pulling him down to her, her hands felt the soft skin of his hips and the firm muscles in his butt. She whimpered into his mouth as she tried to tug down his boxers. She took them as far as she could reach and then he helped kicked them off his shaking legs. He kneeled between her thighs, the quilt slipping down his back, pooling around his waist.

Sookie tried to keep her eyes trained on Eric's face, but felt her eyes start to dip down. She had never seen a naked boy before.

"You can look at me, Sook." He reached for her hand and brought it to his chest.

She felt his heart thudding underneath her touch and his hand guided her across his chest, down to his firm abs and he let go, leaving her to explore further. His body was lean and toned. She could see the results of his weight lifting, because in all the years she had seen him with his shirt off, she had never seen him look like this. Her finger trailed over his hipbone and to his thigh, before she looked back into his eyes and carefully took him in her hand.

His eyes closed and a low groan rumbled in his throat. He leaned closer, slipping his arms around her back to remove her bra. Pulling it away, he quickly covered her chest with his own, not wanting her to feel exposed. They both moaned at the skin-to-skin contact. Reaching between them he pulled her panties down and set them to the side. Lying there completely bare, they shivered in anticipation.

Sookie could see in his face how much he cared for her. His hands gently cupped her breasts, massaging them and teasing them until he lowered his head and began to lay kisses on them. His hips ground into hers, pressing his erection against her stomach and thigh.

"Oh, Sookie." Eric moaned while he gently sucked on her nipple. "You're so beautiful."

She could feel herself getting swept away by the moment as he thrust into her hand. She guided him to her entrance and let him bump and slip against her. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight as he settled more firmly between her legs. Her fears were washed away and the only thing on her mind was this moment in time, this perfect, special moment that she would always remember with Eric.

His mouth was back on hers in a flash, nibbling her lips and sucking on her tongue. He continued to pump his hips, hitting against her a little more directly each time. They were lost in one another, so carried away in the moment that when he hit her entrance the last time, he instinctively began to push. She cried out as he held her tighter, loving her so much in that moment and needing so desperately to feel her. He pressed into her harder even though it was probably no more than his tip; it hurt desperately- enough to snap her out of it.

_The pain. The roughness! I can't get him off me, he's too heavy! Don't do this to me, please please don't hurt me! Please don't do this! Please let me go! I won't tell, I won't tell anyone!_

"Eric! Stop!" She cried out, wiggling away from him, pushing out his arms. "Stop!"

"What? Sookie?" He sat up quickly, confusion and hurt etched across his face. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry!" He reached for her and she only scooted back further, shaking her head no.

Her body was beautiful in the moonlight but he couldn't enjoy it. He grabbed the blanket that had pooled at his feet and tried to cover her with it. He quickly pulled on his boxers and crawled over to her, wrapping his arms around her as tightly as he could while her body shook. "I'm sorry." He whispered over and over again, pressing kisses to her head and the side of her face, wiping the tears from her eyes. He was terrified.

She was silent for a while until she turned her face to his, letting him kiss her gently on the lips. "I'm so sorry."

"What happened? I didn't mean to hurt you!" His hand cupped her chin, forcing her to look up into his eyes. His stomach turned and rolled, feeling like he would be sick.

"I wasn't thinkin' clearly, Eric." She lied; her voice hoarse and she shook her head. She could still feel the weight of the body that held her down. "We didn't even have protection!"

"Is that what this is about?" He asked, relief rushing through him. He grabbed his pants and dug in a pocket, pulling out a condom. He smiled hesitantly at her, his fear beginning to fade. "Here, I have one. I'm sorry I didn't put it on first. I didn't mean to scare you. I just…I got carried away. It's no excuse, but I'm sorry."

"I know." The smell of cigarettes burned her nose, the rough hands hurt her flesh.

"If you still want to, I can…" His voice trailed off as he saw the distant look in her eyes. She wasn't even looking at him. "Sook?"

"No, Eric. I'm sorry." She reached for her underwear and dress, trying to get dressed under the blanket. Her body trembled as she tried to avoid his eyes. She knew she was safe, she knew Eric would never hurt her, but she couldn't bear to have something so special as being with Eric ruined by that horrible memory!

"Sookie?" Eric watched her helplessly, tears filling his eyes.

She tried to ignore the crack in his voice, knowing that he only got that way if he was hurt. She didn't want to hurt him. She just wanted to wash this terrible feeling off of her and get away from it!

"Did I do something else wrong?" He asked quietly. "I know I've never done this before…"

Sookie stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. She scooted over to where he was sitting on his knees, looking every bit as lost and as hurt as he sounded. She threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him for all she was worth. He hugged her back, his hands stroking through her hair. "You didn't do anything wrong, Eric. I promise. It's me, it's not you."

"Can you tell me what it is?" He whispered in her ear, slumping in defeat when she shook her head.

"I can't do it. I thought I was ready and I guess I'm not. I don't want to ruin our friendship, Eric." She sniffed against his neck, the hot tears burning his skin. She could still feel him there, between her legs, and as much as she wanted to cherish that feeling, a darkness was rising in her, pushing it away and tainting it.

"Friendship?" Eric asked as she stood up, straightening her dress. She began folding up the blanket. "Sook, I thought…you and I, we're different than that, aren't we?"

She stopped for a moment, her back to him. When she spoke it was just above a whisper and she hated herself when she said, "I don't know."

Eric stood up behind her, roughly pulling on his clothes. He was so confused he was almost angry. He knew she was lying to him about something, but he didn't know what it was. There was no way that her reaction to him was because of their friendship. Maybe part of it, but not all of it. He'd never seen her so scared before. Not to mention all summer they had been moving towards this moment, he had been sure he wasn't the only one having these feelings. He felt her hand on his arm as he finished buttoning his shirt. He turned to look down at her tear stained face, the tracks of mascara dark against her flushed skin.

"Please don't hate me." She said barely above a whisper, her voice trembling. "Please. You're my best friend, Eric."

His eyes stared off over her shoulder, his face expressionless. He shook his head. "I don't hate you, Sookie." He moved away, yanking on his socks.

She wrung her hands desperately. "Promise me?"

"Yep." He grabbed the blankets off the ground, shoving them into the trunk. "You ready?"

He was still avoiding her eyes and his voice was void of all emotion. It was like he turned a switch off.

"Yes."

He started the car and she quickly climbed in. Adele was still stuck on repeat and she heard him cuss under his breath. He quickly changed artists and soon the air was filled with heavy metal and they were back on the road.

She could almost feel his anger radiating off of him and she felt desperate. She couldn't bear to have Eric angry with her. They drove in silence, the breeze cooling their heated faces. The music was too loud for her to try and talk to him.

Eric pulled into her driveway and lowered the volume, but he didn't turn the engine off.

Sookie's stomach hit the floor and her skin prickled. She knew this was bad. "You aren't going to stay?" Eric always stayed the night when they went out on the weekends, or if he was over late on a school night. Her parents loved him so much that as long as her bedroom door remained open, he could stay whenever he wanted. Besides, Eric's own family wasn't around very often.

She knew once she got inside and showered, everything would be okay. They would get comfy in her bed and he wouldn't be mad at her anymore.

He shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea tonight."

"But you said you aren't mad at me." She knew if he left things weren't going to be okay.

"I'm not. I promise." He finally turned to look and offered her a sad smile, before gently tracing the tracks of her tears. "I just need a couple of days."

"A couple of days?" Her chin trembled and the sick feeling in her stomach grew. "Away from me?"

He pulled away. "I'm sorry. Everything will get back to normal. I need some space."

"Do I have any say in this?" She whispered.

"I'm afraid not." His voice caught but he cleared his throat to hide it. "I'm sorry. If you need me, I'm here. But until then, I think we should take time off. I'll see you at school on Monday, okay?"

She gulped in a breath of air, realizing he was serious and that he didn't plan on driving her to school like he always did. She nodded helplessly and put her hand on the door, pushing it open slowly. She got out and faced her dark house, relieved she wouldn't have to explain to her parents why she was crying. Stumbling in the dark she made her way to the porch steps, but couldn't bring herself to lift a foot. She couldn't believe an hour ago things were so perfect and now they were such a mess. She ruined everything! Her shoulders shook with her sobs and she heard Eric's door open and close, his feet crunching on the gravel.

He pulled her back against him, holding her while she cried. "This is only temporary."

"Can you promise that? Can you swear that to me?" She turned and buried her face into his chest.

"I think so. We'll get back to normal. We just need to give it time." He tried to offer some comfort even while he felt he was being ripped apart inside. "I thought things with us were different then they are."

Her chest constricted from his words. Things _were_ different between them and she couldn't stand the thought of losing that. She didn't know how to explain it to him, because she didn't want to talk about her memory. "Okay." She whispered, feeling more lost then ever before, letting him believe his words. She hoped that when he was done being mad at her, they could go back to normal and try to move forward.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" His breath was warm in her ear.

Sookie hesitated for a moment, and then shook her head no. He would be disgusted if he knew. She felt his body stiffen against hers and she knew in that moment he was well aware she was lying to him. She raised her eyes to his, pleading with him to understand. "I can't." She croaked out, her voice raw from crying.

"Will you ever tell me?"

"I don't know." She responded brokenly. "I'll try."

"Is it about us?"

"No." She whispered, gripping the collar of his shirt, pulling his forehead down to rest on hers. She couldn't stand to let go; knowing the moment she did things would change.

He kissed her quickly on the lips and turned and walked away. She blurrily watched him stop at his car and lift his hand in a partial wave. "See you Monday," he called quietly.

"Monday." She echoed and trudged deeper into the darkness, locking the door behind her.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The last full week of school went by in a blur. Despite becoming sick each morning, Sookie was able to keep it quiet from her parents and focus on getting done with the school year. Junior prom was the next night and she couldn't help but feel a little bit excited about it. She and Eric had tentatively planned out their weekend. After school tomorrow they would both go to their own homes to get ready, he would pick her up, take her for dinner and then go to prom with their friends. He would stay over like he usually did and after breakfast, she and Eric would tell her daddy.

On Saturday mornings her mom liked to go yard sale shopping with some of her friends from church. It would be the best time to get it over with.

Eric hadn't pushed her anymore to tell him what had stopped her that night and for that she was grateful. She turned off the light and snuggled into her bed. Her hand slipped down to her stomach and she rested it there for a moment. The idea of growing a baby inside her tummy hadn't exactly sunk in yet even though she knew it true.

Her phone buzzed and she picked up.

_E: Goodnight._

_S: Night, see you in the morning._

_E: You will. Sleep well._

_S: You, too._

The next afternoon, Sookie was cleaning out her locker. She had two finals next week, but didn't need all the junk that had been tossed in there over the year. Notes from Tara and Amelia, love notes from Alcide (those went in the trash), old homework assignments and lots of books.

"You need help carrying all of that?" Eric came up behind her so quietly she startled.

She laughed. "Yes, please. The only thing I need to do before we leave is to talk to Miss Watson."

He raised his eyebrow. "Your guidance counselor? What for?"

She gave him a duh look and waited for the realization to set in.

"Oh. Well, why tell her now, before you tell your parents?"

She shoved a few more books into her backpack that was now hanging off his arms. His muscles tensed and swelled with the weight. "Because I need to have a plan when I talk to my parents."

"What is your plan?" He asked, curiously watching all the crap she kept pulling out. _How in the world did she get all of that in there?_

"I'm going to start taking online classes soon so I can be done with school before the baby is here." She threw a pair of gym socks away.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" He leaned against the locker next to her. "It's going to be a lot of pressure, Sook."

"Eric, either way it's going to be a lot of stress. But getting done before the baby is born will be the easiest for me. I can't imagine trying to take care of the baby and keep up with school. I couldn't do it." She put her hands on her hips and looked at him for a moment. "Besides, do you want to walk at graduation without me?"

"No way!" He straightened up as she slammed her locked door shut, slinging her backpack over his arm.

"Then it's settled. I need to talk to Miss Watson and then you can take me home."

* PDP *

Sookie was fresh out of the shower and blowing her hair dry when Tara arrived. JB was going to pick her up there so the girls could get ready together. Tara went to the salon after school and her hair was pulled back from her face and twisted up in the back, with long, loose curls trailing her neck.

"It looks great, Tara!" Sookie smiled at her friend as she finished drying her hair.

"Thanks!" Tara smoothed it back and hung her dress on the back of Sookie's door. "How are you feelin', Sook? I haven't seen much of you this week."

"I know, I'm sorry." Sookie gave her oldest friend a tight hug. "I'm doin' okay."

Tara held on a moment longer than she normally would and when she pulled back, her eyes looked teary.

"Don't cry, Tara. I'll be okay." Sookie patted her arm.

Tara took a deep breath and started doing her make-up in the mirror over Sookie's dresser. "So, Eric really threw Alcide for a loop at JB's party Saturday night."

Sookie snorted while she closed the bedroom door and pulled out the new bra and panties she bought to wear under her dress. "He threw all of us for a loop!"

"You didn't know he was going to do that?" Tara gave Sookie a look she knew so well.

"I had no clue he was going to do that."

"Well, it could work out in your favor, depending on what people believe. As long at they just think you are a cheater, that's not too bad." Tara kept her hand steady as she expertly applied her eye shadow.

"I wanted to kick him when he said that! Everyone is going to think I was sleeping with two guys at the same time!" Sookie moaned, shaking her head. "Then when he said that Alcide and I never had sex, he might've put doubt in people's minds. Either way, everyone will think I cheated on Alcide."

"I hate that, Sook. You're not the type to cheat."

"I wouldn't ever do something like that. To be honest, though, Tara?" She paused until Tara caught her eyes. "As silly as it might sound, it feels better to have someone claim me…and the baby, then to not be wanted. I would rather they think I cheated on Alcide and Eric is the father, then to have Alcide tellin' everyone it isn't his and what a whore I am. If Eric hadn't stepped up…" She sat down on the side of her bed, shaking her head, determined not to cry. "I would've looked a whole lot worse in their eyes."

Tara sat next to her, rubbing her back. "You and I have never cared all that much about gossip."

"No, but it's a little different this time." Sookie laughed a little then sighed. "Do you think people believed, Eric?"

"There's been a lot of talk at school this week. I would guess that more believe Eric than don't. Most of the guys know how Alcide talks about the girls and most of the girls…well, they know Alcide." Tara smirked and nudged Sookie's shoulder. "I'm sorry I let you get wrapped up with him, Sook."

"It wasn't your fault. I fell for it, hook, line and sinker. And what a sinker it was!"

"I know you make up your own mind, but if I hadn't been so wrapped up with JB at the time…maybe things would've been different." Tara kicked her bare foot against the hardwood floor.

"Eric and I've been talking things a lot. Everything would've been different if I hadn't freaked out that night with him." She stared across the room, focusing on the picture of the two of them at the dance. He looked so nice.

"You never would've hooked up with Alcide, that's for sure." Tara agreed. "But you can't help how you felt. Have you explained things to him yet?"

Sookie shook her head. "Not yet, but that is next after we talk to Daddy in the morning. I hoped we'd have a nice night together at the dance. I didn't want to ruin it."

"He'll understand, Sook. Eric has been our friend ever since we can remember."

"I hope so."

"Okay. Let's get this party going. This is our junior prom!" Tara smiled, throwing her arms and Sookie's neck, both girls smiling in the mirror.

"It's going to be a great night!" Sookie agreed, feeling the weight slowly lift off her chest. "For tonight, I'm just me, going to prom with my best friends. Nothing else."

"That's a good plan. Tomorrow you can deal with everything else."

With a determined nod, Sookie turned on her iPod and she and Tara danced around the room while getting ready.

"I'm really glad I went all out on my dress this year!" Sookie exclaimed over the sound of The National. "Next year I probably won't go, and if for some reason I do, I won't have this body!"

"I'm glad you did, too! When we shopped I remember how torn you were about buying the cheaper dress or the one you brought home. It looks sensational on you."

"Thanks! I like yours, too!"

Sookie stepped into her ocean blue chiffon dress as they heard their dates pull up. Tara helped her adjust the one sparkling strap over her shoulder and they finished arranging her hair in a cascade of curls that fell from the crown of her head delicately brushing against her bare back. The sweetheart neckline enhanced her breasts without showing too much. She wore delicate silver shoes and as she looked at herself on the mirror, she felt like a million bucks. The dress really brought out the color in her eyes and set of her tan.

Tara was equally as striking in a hot pink floor length gown, which hugged her curves and had a slit running up one side. Catching one another's eyes in the mirror, they nodded they were ready and began their descent down the stairs.

Sookie held tightly to the railing and she stepped carefully in her new shoes. She was grinning from ear to ear with excitement, but also had a rush of butterflies in her tummy. She first saw polished dress shoes, then fitted black pants, which led her eyes to the tuxedo jacket and the crisp white shirt and blue tie that made Eric's eyes pop.

When he saw her, his smile instantly widened and she relaxed seeing how comfortable he seemed.

"Wow, Sunshine!" Corbett exclaimed. "Look at you!"

"You look very pretty, Sookie." Michelle said softly from beside her father, camera in hand. "Let me get some pictures."

She approached Eric and he took her hand in his squeezing it reassuringly. "Sookie," he whispered into her ear, "I have never seen you look more beautiful."

Her cheeks flushed from his kind words but she could tell from the look on his face he meant every word. "You look pretty handsome yourself." She grinned and held out her wrist as he slipped on her corsage. She didn't pay a lot of attention to what was going on around her, the flashes of the camera or JB and Tara greeting one another so happily. Honestly the only thing she saw was Eric, the little boy who had been her best friend, the gawky teenager who she shared nearly every secret with, to the young man he was becoming in front of her very eyes. Her hands shook as she pinned on his boutonniere and he helped steady them.

"This dress is amazing, Sook." He grinned, pulling her into his side and turning them to face the camera.

Her mother snapped shots of the girls, the boys, individual couples, Sookie and her dad, Sookie, her dad and Eric; Sookie, Tara and her dad and then Eric offered to take one of Michelle and Sookie. As her mom slipped her arm around her waist, she said, "You look absolutely radiant, honey."

Sookie turned to her mom with a look of surprise that quickly turned into a flushed cheeked smile, her eyes full of love for her Mama. Corbett joined them and Eric took a few more family shots.

"Okay!" Tara looked ready to burst with excitement. "Are we ready to get this show on the road?"

"I'm ready if everyone else is." Eric took Sookie's hand in his own and she nodded, meting his sparkling eyes with her own.

"Me too, sounds good!" JB jingled his car keys.

"Okay, kids! Have a good time." Corbett gave them all a big smile. "No curfew tonight, kiddo, but just remember when you and Eric get home to go to bed-"

"Keep the bedroom door open!" They all chimed in, laughing.

Corbett smiled wryly. "I don't say it that much do I?"

"No, honey, not at all." Michelle winked at her husband and leaned into him.

"Bye!" Sookie called.

"See you at the dance, Sook!" Tara smiled as JB helped her into his car.

"Bye, Tara! Bye, JB!" She waved and carefully picked her way through the gravel to wear Eric parked.

"You going to be okay in those shoes?" Eric teased her, gripping her hand to keep her steady.

She stuck out her tongue in response. "Yes! It's just hard when it isn't a flat surface."

He laughed and tucked her into the car, quickly making the walk around and slipping in on his side. "I hope you're prepared to dance all night, Stackhouse."

"I sure am! Even if I have to do it barefoot!" She laughed and leaned back into his comfy seat.

He fiddled with his iPod for a moment before they took off down the road. They were headed to a little Italian restaurant in Monroe and then over to the country club where the prom was being held.

"Tonight is your night, Sook. Anything you wanna do, you let me know. If you want to dance from the moment we get there until the prom closes down, that's fine with me."

"You're too good to me." She reached across and squeezed his hand resting on the gearshift.

He shook his head in response. "No body is too good for you, Sookie. If anything, people aren't good _enough_ for you."

Sookie's eyes filled with tears and she blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. "Okay, none of that!" She laughed. "I don't want to cry tonight!"

He chuckled. "Fair enough." He brought their joined hands to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her fingers.

A/N: I think this is the longest chapter yet! I hope you enjoyed it. Your reviews and messages about this story have meant so much. Thank you also for all of the follows and favorites. Even the people who just read but don't comment- I know there a bunch of you! :o) -, thank you for taking the time to enjoy my work. If you are anxious for the next chapter, head on over to my blog! Link is in the profile. Blog also has pictures of Sookie's super cute dress!


End file.
